Stereoselective reduction process for the preparation of pyrrolotriazine compounds

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a process for the enzymatic, stereoselective reduction of ketone compounds to provide chiral alcohols, for example the compound of formula Ib:

This application claims priority benefit under Title 35 § 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/686,093, filed on May 31, 2005,incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a novel process for the preparation ofsubstituted pyrrolotriazine compounds having a chiral alcoholfunctionality, by stereoselective reduction of the corresponding oxocompounds. In particular, the process provides for preparation ofpropan-2-ols such as1-[4-(4-halo-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-ol,by stereoselective reduction of a corresponding oxo compound. The chiralalcohols produced in accordance with the process of the invention areprecursors in molecules therapeutically useful as inhibitors of vascularendothelial growth factor receptor-2, useful as an anticancer agent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bing-nan Zhou et al. J. Am Chem. Soc., 105, pages 5926-5928, 1983describe the chemomicrobiological synthesis of L-carnitine, which playsan important role in the human metabolism and transport of long-chainfatty acids. Particularly, this paper teaches the reduction by baker'syeast, i.e. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, of ethyl K-chloroacetoacetate toethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate.

Kazutoshi Ushio et al. Tetrahedron Letters, Vol. 27, No. 23, pages2657-2660, 1986, disclose the reduction of beta-keto esters by methanolgrown yeast. This paper teaches that the subject reaction causesdramatic shifts of the enantiomer excess of the resultant product in thedirection of the D-isomer. This phenomenon was produced when thereaction was carried out utilizing yeast grown in methanol due toenzymes characteristic of yeast grown in such media.

Markus Christen et al. J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. pages 264-266, 1988,discloses the synthesis of four stereoisomers ofmethyl-6-(p-chlorophenylthio)-3,4-dihydrohexanoate in which the keyintroduction of chirality was effected by an appropriate yeastreduction. It is stated therein that, although the reduction ofbeta-keto esters with yeast has been studied extensively, it remainsdifficult to predict either the absolute configuration of the product(s)or, in particular, the enantiomeric excess likely to be achieved.

Ramesh Patel et al., Enzyme Microb. Technol. Vol. 13, pages 906-912,1991 describe the stereospecific microbial reduction of4,5-dihydro-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl-1H-1)-benzazepin-2-one.In particular, it is disclosed that a key intermediate(3R-cis)-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-hydroxy-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)-2H-1-benzazepine-2-onewas made by the stereoselective microbial reduction of the parentketone. It is stated that it was possible by the selection of specificconditions to obtain a single isomer from among four knownpossibilities.

Ramesh Patel et al., Enzyme Microb. Technol., Vol. 15, pages 1014-1021,1993, describes the stereoselective reduction of a diketo compound,3,5-dioxo-6-(benzyloxy) hexanoic acid, methyl ester, to a singleenantiomer of the resulting dihydroxy compound.

Ramesh Patel et al., Enzyme Microb. Technol. Vol. 14, pages 731-738,1992, describe a process of heat treating Geotrichum candidum to improvethe optical purity of the hydroxy product obtained from the reduction ofbeta-keto esters thereby.

Kometani et al., Journal of Fermentation and Bioengineering, Vol. 80,No. 2, pages 208-210, 1995, teaches yeast-mediated bioreductionutilizing ethanol as the energy source. The relationship between therate of consumption of ethanol and the prochiral ketone reduction ratein Baker's Yeast is examined and it is concluded that ethanol could beapplicable to large-scale production of chiral alcohols from prochiralketones.

Ramesh Patel et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,495, issued Feb. 21, 1995,discloses the stereoselective reduction of certain keto-containingsulfonamide compounds to form the corresponding hydroxylgroup-containing compounds utilizing a microorganism or an enzymecapable of catalyzing the reduction. The enzymes named areoxido-reductase or dehydrogenase and the microorganisms are preferablyselected from Hansenula, Rhodococcus and Norcardia species.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a stereoselective process for thepreparation of substituted pyrrolotriazine compounds of formula I andI*, in particular chiral alcohols and analogs thereof,

whereinR₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are each independently selected from C₁ to C₆ alkyl,aryl or heterocycle, each of which may substituted or unsubstituted, andHal, wherein halo is selected from F, Cl, Br or J; and R₄ may alsoadditionally be selected from Y—R₅ wherein Y is selected from O, NR₁ orS and R₅ is selected from C₁ to C₆ alkyl, aryl or heterocycle, each ofwhich may substituted or unsubstituted;X may be absent, or part of the carbon chain, or Z, wherein Z isselected from O, NR₁ or S,by enzymatic reduction of the corresponding ketone compounds of formulaII

wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, and R₄ are as defined above.

In one embodiment, the invention comprises a process for the preparationof compounds according to formula Ia.

whereinR₂ is C₁ to C₆ alkyl;X is selected from O, NH or S;Het is a heterocycle having 1 or 2 rings, which is optionallysubstituted with alkyl, aryl, or halo;comprising reducing a ketone compound of formula IIa.

In another embodiment, the substituted pyrrolotriazine compound preparedaccording to the invention is a compound of formula Ib, which isprepared from a compound of formula IIb.

In another embodiment, the compound of formula I is1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-olrepresented by formula Ic,

formula Ic which is prepared from1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-one,formula IIc,

by reaction with an oxidoreductase enzyme produced by a microorganismselected from the group consisting of Rhodococcus, Flavobacterium,Saccharothrix, and Pichia.

The product is obtained in high yield and in excellent enantiomericpurity. The chiral alcohol produced in accordance with the process ofthe invention are precursors in molecules therapeutically useful asinhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2),useful as an anticancer agents, as described in Hunt et. al. J. Med.Chem 2004, 47, 4054-4059; and commonly owned and assigned PatentApplication Nos. WO 2004/013145 A1, WO 2004/009601 A1, WO 2004/009784A2, and Patent Application No. WO 02/079192 A1), the entire disclosuresof which are herein incorporated by reference.

In another embodiment, the invention comprises a process for thepreparation of an oxidoreductase enzyme for the preparation of acompound of formula I from a compound of formula II comprising

(a) either

-   -   i. providing microbial cells selected from the group consisting        of Rhodococcus, Flavobacterium, Saccharothrix, and Pichia in a        growth medium under conditions which allow for expression of an        oxidoreductase enzyme, or    -   ii. introducing a gene encoding for the oxidoreductase enzyme        into a host microorganism for recombinant expression,        introducing the host microorganism in a growth medium under        conditions which allow for expression of the oxidoreductase        enzyme, and allowing it to grow and express the oxidoreductase        enzyme;

(b) optionally, extracting the oxidoreductase enzyme from the growthmedium containing microbial cells; and

(c) optionally, purifying the oxidoreductase enzyme.

In yet another embodiment the invention comprises an oxidoreductaseenzyme having an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1, andvariants thereof which may include minor changes of one or more aminoacids in the sequence such that the molecule retains oxidoreductaseactivity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The process of the invention provides an advantageous synthesis forcompounds of formula I, formula I*, and analogs thereof. An exemplarycompound of formula I with halogen variability is1-[4-(4-halo-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-ol(formula Ib). A further exemplary compound is1-[4-(4-Fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-ol(formula Ic).

DEFINITIONS

“Halogen” or “Hal” refers to chlorine, bromine, fluorine and iodine,with fluorine being preferred.

The term “alkyl” refers to straight or branched chain hydrocarbon groupsor radicals having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl,i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, t-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, cycloalkyl having 3to 6 carbon atoms, or any subset of the foregoing, any of which may beoptionally substituted.

The term “heterocycle refers to fully saturated or partially orcompletely unsaturated, including aromatic (“heteroaryl”) or nonaromaticsubstituted or unsubstituted cyclic groups which have at least oneheteroatom in at least one carbon atom-containing ring. Each ring of theheterocyclic group containing a heteroatom may have 1, 2, 3 or 4heteroatoms selected from nitrogen atoms, oxygen atoms and/or sulfuratoms, where the nitrogen and sulfur heteroatoms may optionally beoxidized and the nitrogen heteroatoms may optionally be quaternized. Theheterocyclic group may be attached at any heteroatom or carbon atom ofthe ring or ring system. The rings of multi-ring heterocycles may beeither fused, bridged and/or joined through one or more spiro unions.

The compounds of formula I may form salts or solvates which are alsowithin the scope of this invention. Reference to a compound of theformula I herein is understood to include reference to salts andsolvates thereof unless otherwise indicated. The term “salt(s)”, asemployed herein, denotes acidic and/or basic salts formed with inorganicand/or organic acids and bases. In addition, when a compound of formulaI contains both a basic moiety and an acidic moiety, zwitterions (“innersalts”) may be formed and are included within the term “salt(s)” as usedherein. Pharmaceutically acceptable (i.e., non-toxic, physiologicallyacceptable) salts are preferred, although other salts are also useful,e.g., in isolation or purification steps which may be employed duringpreparation. Salts of the compounds of the formula I may be formed, forexample, by reacting a compound I with an amount of acid or base, suchas an equivalent amount, in a medium such as one in which the saltprecipitates or in an aqueous medium followed by lyophilization.

The terms “fermenting” or “fermentation” are intended to encompass theaerobic or anaerobic growth of a microorganism in a culture medium, aswell as the enzymatically controlled transformation of a compound.

“Mixture” means a culture medium to which a substrate and an enzyme ormicroorganism have been added to facilitate conversion of the substrateby enzymatic, chemical or other means.

“Oxidoreductase enzyme” means an enzyme capable of reducing an oxogroup, such as a ketone functional group, contained in the molecularstructure of a compound, and would thus encompass those enzymes alsoknown as ketoreductases. Oxidoreductase enzymes according to thisdefinition that may be used in the practice of the invention include anysuch enzymes derived from or expressed by microorganisms such as thoseotherwise described herein, as well as any such enzymes expressed viarecombinant transformation of a host microorganism that has been encodedwith the appropriate genes to provide expression thereof.

“Nucleic acid or “polynucleotide” as used herein refers to purine- andpyrimidine-containing polymers of any length, either polyribonucleotidesor polydeoxyribonucleotide or mixed polyribo-polydeoxyribonucleotides.This includes single-and double-stranded molecules, i.e., DNA-DNA,DNA-RNA and RNA-RNA hybrids, as well as “protein nucleic acids” (PNA)formed by conjugating bases to an amino acid backbone. This alsoincludes nucleic acids containing modified bases. Polynucleotides, e.g.,oligonucleotides, include naturally-occurring species or syntheticspecies formed from naturally-occurring subunits or their closehomologs. The term may also refer to moieties that function similarly topolynucleotides, but have non-naturally-occurring portions. Thus,polynucleotides may have altered sugar moieties or inter-sugar linkages.Exemplary among these are phosphorothioate and other sulfur containingspecies which are known in the art.

A “coding sequence” or a “protein-coding sequence” is a polynucleotidesequence capable of being transcribed into mRNA and/or capable of beingtranslated into a polypeptide. The boundaries of the coding sequence aretypically determined by a translation start codon at the 5′-terminus anda translation stop codon at the 3′-terminus.

A “complement” or “complementary sequence” of a nucleic acid sequence asused herein refers to the antisense sequence that participates inWatson-Crick base-pairing with the original sequence.

A “probe” or “primer” refers to a nucleic acid or oligonucleotide thatforms a hybrid structure with a sequence in a target region due tocomplementarily of at least one sequence in the probe or primer with asequence in the target region.

The term “vector” as used herein refers to a nucleic acid moleculecapable of replicating itself and another nucleic acid molecule to whichit has been linked. A vector, for example, can be a plasmid, recombinantvirus, or transposon.

“Host” includes prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The term includes anorganism or cell that is the recipient of a replicable vector.

A “recombinant” polypeptide or peptide refers to an amino acid sequenceencoded by a nucleotide sequence described herein.

As used herein, the terms “protein” and “polypeptide” are synonymous.“Peptides” are defined as fragments or portions of polypeptides,preferably fragments or portions having at least one functional activity(e.g., catalytic or antigenic activity) as the complete polypeptidesequence.

The term “antigenic” refers to the ability of a molecule (e.g., apolypeptide or peptide) to bind to its specific antibody, or an antibodyfragment, with sufficiently high affinity to form a detectableantigen-antibody complex.

A “sample” as used herein refers to a biological sample, for example,cells, cell culture media, cell components (e.g., cell membranes orcellular organelles), cell extracts (e.g., cytoplasm, cytosol, ornuclear extracts), chemical samples, e.g. of starting materials,additives or reactants, as well as samples obtained from, for example, alaboratory procedure.

The terms “including”, “such as”, “for example” and the like areintended to refer to exemplary embodiments and not to limit the scope ofthe invention.

General descriptions of the foregoing terms and others are known in theart. See, e.g., Roitt et al., 1989, Immunology, 2^(nd) Edition, C.V.Mosby Company, New York; Male et al., 1991, Advanced Immunology, 2^(nd)Edition, Grower Medical Publishing, New York.

One aspect of the invention pertains to isolated oxidoreductase nucleicacids having a nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2,SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ IDNO:8, or variants, modifications, fragments, or complementary sequencesthereof. The nucleic acid molecules of the invention can be DNA or RNA(e.g., DNA, RNA, DNA/DNA, and DNA/RNA). In accordance with theinvention, preferred nucleic acids are nucleic acids encoding Pichiaangusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Rhodococcus australis, oxidoreductasesor fragments or functional equivalents thereof. Such nucleic acids cancomprise at least 15, 20, 21, 25, 50, 100, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, or1500 contiguous nucleotides.

The term “isolated” as used herein refers to a substantially purifiedmolecule (e.g., nucleic acid, polypeptide, peptide, protein fusion, orantibody) that is substantially free of cellular material, culturemedium, or other components. Such isolated molecules contain less than50%, preferably less than 25%, more preferably less than 10%, and mostpreferably less than 1% of the components with which they wereassociated.

The term “functional equivalent” is intended to include nucleotidesequences encoding functionally equivalent P. angusta, Flavobacteriumfuscum, Rhodococcus australis, Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonasputida, Hansenula polymorpha oxidoreductases. A functional equivalentsof P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Rhodococcus australis,Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorphaoxidoreductase includes fragments or variants that perform at least onecharacteristic function of the enzyme (e.g., catalysis or antigenicity).For example, DNA sequence polymorphisms within the nucleotide sequenceof a P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Rhodococcus australis,Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorphaoxidoreductase polypeptide, especially those within the third base of acodon, may result in “silent” mutations, which do not affect the encodedamino acid sequence of the polypeptide due to the degeneracy of thegenetic code.

Preferred embodiments include an isolated nucleic acid sharing at least50, 54, 55, 60, 70, 77, 80, 85, 90, 95, 99, or 100% sequence identitywith a polynucleotide sequence of P. angusta, Flavobacteriumfuscum,Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorpha oxidoreductase (e.g., SEQ IDNOS: 1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3 and SEQ ID NO:4). This polynucleotidesequence may be identical to the nucleotide sequence of P. angusta,Flavobacterium fuscum, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorphaoxdioreductase (e.g., SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ IDNO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8), or mayinclude up to a certain integer number of nucleotide alterations ascompared to the reference sequence.

“Identity,” as known in the art, is a relationship between two or morepolypeptide sequences or two or more polynucleotide sequences, asdetermined by comparing the sequences. In the art, “identity” also meansthe degree of sequence relatedness between polypeptide or polynucleotidesequences, as the case may be, as determined by the match betweenstrings of such sequences. “Identity” and “similarity” can be readilycalculated by known methods, including but not limited to thosedescribed in Lesk, A. M. (Ed.), 1988, Computational Molecular Biolog,Oxford University Press, New York; Smith, D. W. (Ed.), 1993,Biocomputing. Informatics and Genome Projects, Academic Press, New York;Griffin, A. M., and Griffin, H. G. (Eds.), 1994, Computer Analysis ofSequence Data, Part I, Humana Press, New Jersey; von Heinje, G., 1987,Sequence Analysis in Molecular Biolog, Academic Press; Gribskov, M. andDevereux, J. (Eds.), 1991, Sequence Analysis Primer, M. Stockton Press,New York; and Carillo, H., and Lipman, D., 1988, SIAM J. Applied Math.48:1073.

In accordance with the invention, nucleic acid alterations are selectedfrom the group consisting of at least one nucleotide deletion,substitution, including transition and transversion, insertion, ormodification (e.g., via RNA or DNA analogs, dephosphorylation,methylation, or labeling). Alterations may occur at the 5′ or 3′terminal positions of the reference nucleotide sequence or anywherebetween those terminal positions, interspersed either individually amongthe nucleotides in the reference sequence or in one or more contiguousgroups within the reference sequence.

The invention also encompasses naturally-occurring nucleotidepolymorphisms of P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Pseudomonas putida,Hansenula polymorpha oxidoreductase (e.g., SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ IDNO:8). The genomes of all organisms undergo spontaneous mutation in thecourse of their continuing evolution generating variant forms of genesequences (Gusella, 1986, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 55:831-854). Restrictionfragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) include variations in DNAsequences that alter the length of a restriction fragment in thesequence (Botstein et al., 1980, Am. J. Hum. Genet. 32, 314-331). Shorttandem repeats (STRs) include tandem di-, tri- and tetranucleotiderepeated motifs, also termed variable number tandem repeat (VNTR)polymorphisms.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are far more frequent than RFLPS,STRs, and VNTRs. SNPs may occur in protein coding (e.g., exon), ornon-coding (e.g., intron, 5′UTR, and 3′UTR) sequences. SNPs in proteincoding regions may comprise silent mutations that do not alter the aminoacid sequence of a protein. Alternatively, SNPs in protein codingregions may produce conservative or non-conservative amino acid changes,described in detail below. In non-coding sequences, SNPs may also resultin defective protein expression (e.g., as a result of defectivesplicing). Other single nucleotide polymorphisms have no phenotypiceffects.

Further encompassed by the invention are nucleic acid molecules thatshare moderate homology with the P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum,Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorpha nucleic acid sequence (e.g.,SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ IDNO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8 or a complementary sequence), andhybridize to a P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Pseudomonas putida,Hansenula polymorpha oxidoreductase nucleic acid molecule under moderatestringency hybridization conditions. More preferred are nucleic acidmolecules that share substantial homology with a P. angusta,Flavobacterium fuscum, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorphaoxidoreductase nucleic acid sequence (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:2,SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ IDNO:8 or a complementary sequence) and hybridize to P. angusta,Flavobacterium fuscum, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorphaoxidoreductase nucleic acid molecules under high stringencyhybridization conditions.

As used herein, the phrase “moderate homology” refers to sequences whichshare at least 60% sequence identity with an oxidoreductase sequence(e.g., SEQ ID NO:1), whereas the phrase “substantial homology” refers tosequences that share at least 90% sequence identity with a ketoreductasesequence. It is recognized, however, that polypeptides and the nucleicacids encoding such polypeptides containing less than theabove-described level of homology arising as splice variants or that aremodified by conservative amino acid substitutions (or substitution ofdegenerate codons) are contemplated to be within the scope of theinvention.

The phrase “hybridization conditions” is used herein to refer toconditions under which a double-stranded nucleic acid hybrid is formedfrom two single nucleic acid strands, and remains stable. As known tothose of skill in the art, the stability of the hybrid sequence isreflected in the melting temperature (T_(m)) of the hybrid (see F. M.Ausubel et al. (Eds.), 1995, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology,John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y.). The T_(m) decreasesapproximately 0.5° C. to 1.5° C. with every 1% decrease in sequencehomology. In general, the stability of a hybrid sequence is a functionof the length and guanine/cytosine content of the hybrid, the sodium ionconcentration, and the incubation temperature. Typically, thehybridization reaction is initially performed under conditions of lowstringency, followed by washes of varying, but higher, stringency.Reference to hybridization stringency relates to such washingconditions.

In accordance with the invention, “high stringency” conditions can beprovided, for example, by hybridization in 50% formamide, 5×Denhardt'ssolution, 5×SSPE, and 0.2% SDS at 42° C., followed by washing in0.1×SSPE and 0.1% SDS at 65° C. By comparison, “moderate stringency” canbe provided, for example, by hybridization in 50% formamide,5×Denhardt's solution, 5×SSPE, and 0.2% SDS at 42° C., followed bywashing in 0.2×SSPE and 0.2% SDS at 65° C. In addition, “low stringency”conditions can be provided, for example, by hybridization in 10%formamide, 5×Denhardt's solution, 6×SSPE, and 0.2% SDS at 42° C.,followed by washing in 1×SSPE and 0.2% SDS at 50° C. It is understoodthat these conditions may be varied using a variety of buffers andtemperatures well known to those skilled in the art.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the nucleic acid is a DNAmolecule encoding at least a fragment of an oxidoreductase (SEQ IDNO:2). A nucleic acid molecule encoding an oxidoreductase can beobtained from mRNA present in cells. It may also be possible to obtainnucleic acid molecules encoding an oxidoreductase from Pichia angusta,Flavobacterium fuscum, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorpha genomicDNA. In addition, a nucleic acid encoding a oxidoreductase can be clonedfrom either a cDNA or a genomic library in accordance with the protocolsdescribed in detail herein.

Nucleic acids encoding P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Rhodococcusaustralis, Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenulapolymorpha oxidoreductase enzymes can also be cloned using establishedpolymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques (see K. Mullis et al., 1986,Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 51:260; K. H. Roux, 1995, PCRMethods Appl. 4:S185) in accordance with the nucleic acid sequenceinformation provided herein. For example, PCR techniques can be used toproduce the nucleic acids of the invention, using either RNA (e.g.,mRNA) or DNA (e.g., genomic DNA) as templates. Primers used for PCR canbe synthesized using the sequence information provided herein and canfurther be designed to introduce appropriate new restriction sites, ifdesirable, to facilitate incorporation into a given vector forrecombinant expression.

The nucleic acid molecules of the invention, or fragments thereof, canalso be chemically synthesized using standard techniques. Variousmethods of chemically synthesizing polydeoxynucleotides are known,including solid-phase synthesis which, like peptide synthesis, has beenfully automated in commercially available DNA synthesizers (see, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,049 to Itakura et al.; U.S. Pat. No.4,458,066 to Caruthers et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,401,796 and 4,373,071 toItakura).

It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that variations in oneor more nucleotides (up to about 3-4% of the nucleotides) of the nucleicacid molecules encoding a P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Rhodococcusaustralis, Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenulapolymorpha oxidoreductase may exist among organisms within a populationdue to natural allelic variation. Any and all such nucleotide variationsand resulting amino acid polymorphisms are within the scope of theinvention. Furthermore, there may be one or more isoforms or relatedfamily members of the P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum, Rhodococcusaustralis, Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenulapolymorpha oxidoreductases described herein. Such isoforms or familymembers are defined as polypeptides that are related in function andamino acid sequence to a oxidoreductase (e.g., SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2,SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ IDNO:8), but encoded by genes at different loci. In addition, it ispossible to modify the DNA sequence of the oxidoreductase gene usinggenetic techniques to produce proteins or peptides with altered aminoacid sequences.

DNA sequence mutations can be introduced into a nucleic acid encoding anoxidoreductase by any one of a number of methods, including those forproducing simple deletions or insertions, systematic deletions,insertions or substitutions of clusters of bases or substitutions ofsingle bases, to generate desired variants. Mutations of theoxidoreductase nucleic acid molecule to generate amino acidsubstitutions or deletions are preferably obtained by site-directedmutagenesis.

Site directed mutagenesis systems are well known in the art, and can beobtained from commercial sources. Guidance in determining which aminoacid residues may be substituted, inserted, or deleted withoutabolishing biological or immunological activity may be found usingcomputer programs well known in the art, for example, DNASTAR software.Mutant forms of the oxidoreductase nucleic acid molecules are consideredwithin the scope of the invention, where the expressed polypeptide orpeptide is capable catalytic or antigenic activity.

A fragment of the nucleic acid molecule encoding an oxidoreductase isdefined as a nucleotide sequence having fewer nucleotides than thenucleotide sequence encoding the entire amino acid sequence of theenzyme. In one embodiment of the invention, a nucleic acid moleculecorresponding to a fragment of a P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum,Rhodococcus australis, Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida,Hansenula polymorpha oxidoreductase nucleic acid sequence can be used asa probe for assaying a biological sample (e.g., from cells or cellextracts), the expression of one or more enzymes, or as a primer for DNAsequencing or PCR amplification. Preferably, such fragments are at least8, 12, 15, 20, 21, or 25 contiguous nucleotides in length.

In certain embodiments, the nucleic acid molecules of the invention mayinclude linker sequences, modified restriction endonuclease sites, andother sequences useful for molecular cloning, expression, orpurification of recombinant protein or fragments thereof. Nucleic acidmolecules in accordance with the invention may also be conjugated withradioisotopes, or chemiluminescent, fluorescent, or other labelingcompounds (e.g., digoxigenin). In addition, the nucleic acid moleculesof the invention may be modified by nucleic acid modifying enzymes, forexample, kinases or phosphatases. These and other modifications ofnucleic acid molecules are well known in the art. In addition, a nucleicacid molecule that encodes a P. angusta, Flavobacterium fuscum,Rhodococcus australis, Saccharothrix aerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida,Hansenula polymorpha oxidoreductase, or a functional fragment thereof,can be ligated to a heterologous sequence to encode a fusion protein(also called a chimeric protein) as described in detail herein.

Vectors and Host Cells

Another aspect of the invention pertains to vectors comprising a nucleicacid encoding an oxidoreductase as described herein operably linked toat least one regulatory sequence. “Operably linked” is intended to meanthat the nucleotide acid sequence is linked to a regulatory sequence ina manner that allows expression of the nucleotide sequence (i.e.,production of mRNA and/or amino acid sequences). Regulatory sequencesare known in the art and are selected to direct expression of thedesired protein in an appropriate host cell or cell-free expressionsystem. Accordingly, the term regulatory sequence includes promoters,enhancers and other expression control elements (see D. V. Goeddel,1990, Methods Enzymol. 185:3-7). It should be understood that the designof the expression vector may depend on such factors as the choice of thehost cell or expression system to be utilized and/or the type ofpolypeptide desired to be expressed.

Suitable expression vectors include, but are not limited to, pUC,pBluescript (Stratagene), pET (Novagen, Inc.), as well as pREP, pSE420,and pLEX (Invitrogen). Vectors can contain one or more replication andinheritance systems for cloning or expression, one or more markers forselection in the host, e.g. antibiotic resistance, and one or moreexpression cassettes. The inserted coding sequences can be synthesizedby standard methods, isolated from natural sources, or prepared ashybrids. Ligation of the coding sequences to transcriptional regulatoryelements (e.g., promoters, enhancers, and/or insulators) and/or to otheramino acid encoding sequences can be carried out using establishedmethods. Preferred replication and inheritance systems include M13,ColE1, SV40, baculovirus, lambda, adenovirus, CEN ARS, 2 μm, ARS, andthe like. Several regulatory elements (e.g., promoters) have beenisolated and shown to be effective in the transcription and translationof heterologous proteins in the various hosts. Such regulatory regions,methods of isolation, manner of manipulation, etc. are known in the art.Non-limiting examples of bacterial promoters include the β-lactamase(penicillinase) promoter; lactose promoter; tryptophan (trp) promoter;araBAD (arabinose) operon promoter; lambda-derived P₁ promoter and Ngene ribosome binding site; and the hybrid tac promoter derived fromsequences of the trp and lac UV5 promoters.

Non-limiting examples of yeast promoters include the 3-phosphoglyceratekinase promoter, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAFDH or GAP)promoter, galactokinase (GAL1) promoter, galactoepimerase promoter, andalcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1) promoter. Suitable promoters for mammaliancells include, without limitation, viral promoters, such as those fromSimian Virus 40 (SV40), Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), andbovine papilloma virus (BPV). Alternatively, the endogenous bacterialregulatory elements (e.g., in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8 etc.) can beused.

Eukaryotic cells may also require terminator sequences, polyadenylationsequences, and enhancer sequences that modulate gene expression.Sequences that cause amplification of the gene may also be desirable.These sequences are well known in the art. Furthermore, sequences thatfacilitate secretion of the recombinant product from cells, including,but not limited to, bacteria, yeast, and animal cells, such as secretorysignal sequences and/or preprotein or proprotein sequences, may also beincluded in accordance with established methods. Secretory signalsequences are generally positioned 5′ to the nucleotide sequenceencoding the protein of interest, although certain signal sequences canbe positioned 3′ to the nucleotide sequence of interest (see, e.g.,Welch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,743; Holland et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,143,830). Cell-specific secretory signals can be used with certaincell types (e.g., yeast cells).

Expression and cloning vectors will likely contain a selectable marker,a gene encoding a protein necessary for survival or growth of a hostcell transformed with the vector. The presence of this gene ensuresgrowth of only those host cells that express the inserts. Typicalselection genes encode proteins that 1) confer resistance to antibioticsor other toxic substances, e.g., ampicillin, neomycin, methotrexate,etc.; 2) complement auxotrophic deficiencies, or 3) supply criticalnutrients not available from complex media, e.g., the gene encodingD-alanine racemase for Bacilli. Markers may be an inducible ornon-inducible gene and will generally allow for positive selection.Non-limiting examples of markers include the ampicillin resistancemarker (i.e., beta-lactamase), tetracycline resistance marker,neomycin/kanamycin resistance marker (i.e., neomycinphosphotransferase), dihydrofolate reductase, glutamine synthetase, andthe like. The choice of the proper selectable marker will depend on thehost cell, and appropriate markers for different hosts as understood bythose of skill in the art.

Suitable cell-free expression systems for use with the inventioninclude, without limitation, rabbit reticulocyte lysate, wheat germextract, canine pancreatic microsomal membranes, E. coli S30 extract,and coupled transcription/translation systems (Promega Corp.). Suitablehost cells include bacteria, fungi, yeast, plant, insect, and animal,mammalian, and human cells. Specifically included are SF9, C129, 293,NIH 3T3, CHO, COS, HeLa, and Neurospora cells. Insect cell systems(i.e., lepidopteran host cells and baculovirus expression vectors)(Luckow and Summers, 1988, Biotechnology 6:47-55) are also included.

Preferred host cells include fungal cells, such as Aspergillus (A.niger, A. oryzae, and A. fumigatus), Fusarium venenatum,Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kluyveromyceslactis, Kluyveromyces fragilis, Ustilago maydis, Candida (e.g., C.albicans, C. methylica, C. boidinii, C. tropicalis, C. wickerhamii, C.maltosa, and C. glabrata), Hansenula (e.g., H. anomala, H. polymorpha,H. wingei, H. jadinii and H. saturnus); and Pichia (e.g., P. angusta, P.pastoris, P. anomala, P. stipitis, P. methanolica, and P.guilliermondii) cells. Particularly preferred are bacterial cells, suchas Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus (e.g., B.licheniformis, B. amyloliquefaciens, and B. subtilis) and Streptomyces(e.g., Streptomyces lividans and Streptomyces coelicolor) cells.

In general, host cells can be transformed, transfected, or infected asappropriate by any suitable method including electroporation, calciumchloride-, lithium chloride-, lithium acetate/polyethylene glycol-,calcium phosphate-, DEAE-dextran-, liposome-mediated DNA uptake,spheroplasting, injection, microinjection, microprojectile bombardment,phage infection, viral infection, or other established methods.Alternatively, vectors containing the nucleic acids of interest can betranscribed in vitro, and the resulting RNA introduced into the hostcell by well-known methods, e.g., by injection (see, Kubo et al., 1988,FEBS Letts. 241:119).

Methods for transforming S. cerevisiae cells with exogenous DNA andproducing recombinant proteins therefrom are found in, for example,Kawasaki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,311; Kawasaki et al., U.S. Pat. No.4,931,373; Brake, U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,008; Welch et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,037,743; Murray et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,075, and Kawasaki et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,373). Transformation methods for other yeasts,including H. polymorpha/P. angusta, S. pombe, K. lactis, K. fragilis, U.maydis, P. pastoris, P. methanolica/C. methylica, and C. maltosa areknown in the art (see, for example, Gleeson et al., 1986, J. Gen.Microbiol. 132:3459-3465; Cregg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,279; and Hiep etal., 1993, Yeast 9:1189-1197). Aspergillus cells can be transformedaccording to the methods of McKnight et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,349,while Acremonium chrysogenum cells can be transformed in accordance withSumino et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,228. In general, host cells mayintegrate the nucleic acid molecules of this invention into chromosomalloci. Alternatively, the host cells may maintain the nucleic acidmolecules via episomal vectors.

In one embodiment, an expression vector comprises a nucleic acidencoding at least a fragment of an oxidoreductase. In anotherembodiment, the expression vector comprises a DNA sequence encoding atleast a fragment of a oxidoreductase fused in-frame to a DNA sequenceencoding a heterologous polypeptide or peptide. Such expression vectorscan be used to transfect host cells to thereby produce oxidoreductasepolypeptides or peptides, including fusion proteins or peptides encodedby nucleic acid molecules as described below.

Several well-established techniques can be used to determine theexpression levels and patterns of the oxidoreductase. For example, mRNAlevels can be determined utilizing Northern blot analysis (J. C. Alwineet al., 1977, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5350-5354; I. M. Bird, 1998,Methods Mol. Biol. 105:325-36), whereby poly(A)⁺ RNA is isolated fromcells, separated by gel electrophoresis, blotted onto a support surface(e.g., nitrocellulose or Immobilon-Ny⁺ (Millipore Corp., Bedford,Mass.)), and incubated with a labeled (e.g., fluorescently labeled orradiolabeled) oligonucleotide probe that is capable of hybridizing withthe mRNA of interest.

Alternatively, mRNA levels can be determined by quantitative (forreview, see W. M. Freeman et al., 1999, Biotechniques 26:112-122) orsemi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis (Ren et al., Mol. Brain Res.59:256-63). In accordance with this technique, poly(A)⁺ RNA is isolatedfrom cells, used for cDNA synthesis, and the resultant cDNA is incubatedwith PCR primers that are capable of hybridizing with the template andamplifying the template sequence to produce levels of the PCR productthat are proportional to the cellular levels of the mRNA of interest.Another technique, in situ hybridization, can also be used to determinemRNA levels (reviewed by A. K. Raap, 1998, Mutat. Res. 400:287-298). Insitu hybridization techniques allow the visual detection of mRNA in acell by incubating the cell with a labeled (e.g., fluorescently labeledor digoxigenin labeled) oligonucleotide probe that hybridizes to themRNA of interest, and then examining the cell by microscopy.

Oxidoreductase fragments, modifications, or variants can be also beassessed directly by well-established techniques. For example, host cellexpression of the recombinant polypeptides can be evaluated by westernblot analysis using antibodies specifically reactive with thesepolypeptides (see above). Production of secreted forms of thepolypeptides can be evaluated by immunoprecipitation using monoclonalantibodies that are specifically reactive the polypeptides. Other, morepreferred, assays take advantage of the functional characteristics ofthe oxidoreductase.

Polypeptides

A further aspect of the invention pertains to oxidoreductasepolypeptides (e.g., recombinant polypeptides). The invention encompassesa oxidoreductase polypeptide (e.g., SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ IDNO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8)and fragments and functional equivalents thereof. Such polypeptides cancomprise at least 5, 12, 20, 21, 25, 30, 32, 35, 50, 100, 170, 200, 210,300, or 600 contiguous amino acid residues. Preferred are polypeptidesthat share moderate homology with a oxidoreductase polypeptide (e.g.,SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ IDNO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8). More preferred are polypeptides thatshare substantial homology with an oxidoreductase polypeptide.

The term “functional equivalent” is intended to include proteins whichdiffer in amino acid sequence from the oxidoreductase polypeptide (e.g.,SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ IDNO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8), but where such differences result in amodified protein which performs at least one characteristic function ofpolypeptide (e.g., catalytic or antigenic activity). For example, afunctional equivalent of oxidoreductase polypeptide may have amodification such as a substitution, addition or deletion of an aminoacid residue which is not directly involved in the function of thispolypeptide. Various modifications of the oxidoreductase polypeptide toproduce functional equivalents of these polypeptides can be made inaccordance with established methods.

It is also possible to modify the structure of a oxidoreductasepolypeptide for such purposes as increasing solubility, enhancingreactivity, or increasing stability (e.g., shelf life ex vivo andresistance to proteolytic degradation in vivo). Such modified proteinsare considered functional equivalents of a oxidoreductase polypeptide asdefined herein. Preferably, oxidoreductase polypeptides are modified sothat they retain catalytic activity. Those residues shown to beessential for activity can be modified by replacing the essential aminoacid with another, preferably similar amino acid residue (a conservativesubstitution) whose presence is shown to enhance, diminish, but noteliminate, or not effect receptor interaction. In addition, those aminoacid residues that are not essential for catalysis can be modified bybeing replaced by another amino acid whose incorporation may enhance,diminish, or not effect reactivity.

Preferred polypeptide embodiments further include an isolatedpolypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence sharing at least 50, 54,55, 60, 70, 80, 85, 86, 90, 95, 97, 98, 99, 99.5 or 100% identity withthe amino acid sequence of oxidoreductase (SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ IDNO:8). This polypeptide sequence may be identical to the sequence ofoxidoreductase (SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8), or may include up to acertain integer number of amino acid alterations as compared to thereference sequence.

Percent sequence identity can be calculated using computer programs ordirect sequence comparison. Preferred computer program methods todetermine identity between two sequences include, but are not limitedto, the GCG program package, FASTA, BLASTP, and TBLASTN (see, e.g., D.W. Mount, 2001, Bioinformatics: Sequence and Genome Analysis, ColdSpring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). The BLASTPand TBLASTN programs are publicly available from NCBI and other sources.The well-known Smith Waterman algorithm may also be used to determineidentity.

Exemplary parameters for amino acid sequence comparison include thefollowing: 1) algorithm from Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, J Mol. Biol.48:443-453; 2) BLOSSUM62 comparison matrix from Hentikoff and Hentikoff,1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:10915-10919; 3) gap penalty=12; and4) gap length penalty=4. A program useful with these parameters ispublicly available as the “gap” program (Genetics Computer Group,Madison, Wis.). The aforementioned parameters are the default parametersfor polypeptide comparisons (with no penalty for end gaps).Alternatively, polypeptide sequence identity can be calculated using thefollowing equation: % identity=(the number of identicalresidues)/(alignment length in amino acid residues)*100. For thiscalculation, alignment length includes internal gaps but does notinclude terminal gaps.

In accordance with the invention, polypeptide sequences may be identicalto the sequence of oxidoreductase (e.g., SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ IDNO:8), or may include up to a certain integer number of amino acidalterations. Polypeptide alterations are selected from the groupconsisting of at least one amino acid deletion, substitution, includingconservative and non-conservative substitution, or insertion.Alterations may occur at the amino- or carboxy-terminal positions of thereference polypeptide sequence or anywhere between those terminalpositions, interspersed either individually among the amino acids in thereference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within thereference sequence. In specific embodiments, polypeptide variants may beencoded by oxidoreductase nucleic acids comprising single nucleotidepolymorphisms and/or alternate splice variants.

Oxidoreductase polypeptides may also be modified by conjugation with alabel capable of providing a detectable signal, either directly orindirectly, including, for example, radioisotopes and fluorescentcompounds. Non-limiting examples of fluorescent compounds include Cy3,Cy5, GFP (e.g., EGFP, DsRed, dEFP, etc. (CLONTECH), Alexa, BODIPY,fluorescein (e.g., FluorX, DTAF, and FITC), rhodamine (e.g., TRITC),auramine, Texas Red, AMCA blue, and Lucifer Yellow. Suitable isotopesinclude, but are not limited to, ³H, ¹⁴C, ³²P, ³⁵S, ³⁶Cl, ⁵¹Cr, ⁵⁷Co,⁵¹Co, ⁵Fe, ⁹⁰Y, ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, and ¹¹⁶Re.

The invention also relates to isolated, synthesized and/or recombinantportions or fragments of a oxidoreductase polypeptide (e.g., SEQ IDNO:2), as described herein. Polypeptide fragments (i.e., peptides) canbe made which have full or partial function on their own, or which whenmixed together (though fully, partially, or nonfunctional alone),spontaneously assemble with one or more other polypeptides toreconstitute a functional protein having at least one functionalcharacteristic of a oxidoreductase of this invention. In addition,oxidoreductase polypeptide fragments may comprise, for example, one ormore domains of the polypeptide (e.g., a short chain dehydrogenasedomain) disclosed herein.

The polypeptides of the invention, including function-conservativevariants, may be isolated from wild-type or mutant P. angusta,Flavobacterium fuscum, Rhodococcus australis, Saccharothrixaerocologenes, Pseudomonas putida, Hansenula polymorpha cells, fromheterologous organisms or cells (e.g., bacteria, yeast, insect, plant,or mammalian cells) comprising recombinant oxidoreductase, or fromcell-free translation systems (e.g., wheat germ, microsomal membrane, orbacterial extracts) in which a oxidoreductase protein-coding sequencehas been introduced and expressed. Furthermore, the polypeptides may bepart of recombinant fusion proteins. The polypeptides can also,advantageously, be made by synthetic chemistry. Polypeptides may bechemically synthesized by commercially available automated procedures,including, without limitation, exclusive solid phase synthesis, partialsolid phase methods, fragment condensation or classical solutionsynthesis.

Isolation of Polypeptides

Yet another aspect of the invention pertains to methods of isolatingoxidoreductase polypeptides, or variants, modifications, or fragmentsthereof from biological samples (e.g., cells, cell extracts or lysates,cell membranes, growth media, etc.). Fragments of ketoreductasepolypeptides (i.e., peptides) include fragments, preferably, having thesame or equivalent function or activity as the full-length polypeptide.Both naturally occurring and recombinant forms of the oxidoreductasepolypeptides or peptides may be used in the methods according to theinvention. Methods for directly isolating and purifying polypeptides orpeptides from cellular or extracellular lysates are well known in theart (see E. L. V. Harris and S. Angal (Eds.), 1989, Protein PurificationMethods: A Practical Approach, IRL Press, Oxford, England). Such methodsinclude, without limitation, preparative disc-gel electrophoresis,isoelectric focusing, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC),reversed-phase HPLC, gel filtration, ion exchange and partitionchromatography, and countercurrent distribution, and combinationsthereof.

In addition, antibody-based methods can be used to isolate natural orrecombinantly produced oxidoreductase polypeptides or peptides.Antibodies that recognize these polypeptides, or peptides derivedtherefrom, can be produced and isolated using methods known andpracticed in the art (see below). oxidoreductase polypeptides orpeptides can then be purified from a crude lysate by chromatography onantibody-conjugated solid-phase matrices (see E. Harlow and D. Lane,1999, Using Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring HarborLaboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). Other isolation methods known andused in the art may also be employed.

To produce recombinant Oxidoreductase polypeptides or peptides, DNAsequences encoding the polypeptides or peptides can be cloned into asuitable vector for expression in intact host cells or in cell-freetranslation systems as described above (see also J. Sambrook et al.,1989, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd edition, Cold SpringHarbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). DNA sequences can beoptimized, if desired, for more efficient expression in a given hostorganism. For example, codons can be altered to conform to the preferredcodon usage in a given host cell or cell-free translation system usingtechniques routinely practiced in the art.

For some purposes, it may be preferable to produce oxidoreductasepeptides or polypeptides in a recombinant system wherein the peptides orpolypeptides carry additional sequence tags to facilitate purification.Such markers include epitope tags and protein tags. Non-limitingexamples of epitope tags include c-myc, haemagglutinin (HA),polyhistidine (6×-HIS), GLU-GLU, and DYKDDDDK (FLAG®; SEQ ID NO:5, SEQID NO:6) epitope tags. Non-limiting examples of protein tags includeglutathione-S-transferase (GST), green fluorescent protein (GFP), andmaltose binding protein (MBP).

Epitope and protein tags can be added to peptides by a number ofestablished methods. For example, DNA sequences encoding epitope tagscan be inserted into protein-coding sequences as oligonucleotides or asprimers used in PCR amplification. As an alternative, protein-codingsequences can be cloned into specific vectors that create fusions withepitope tags; for example, pRSET vectors (Invitrogen Corp.). Similarly,protein tags can be added by cloning the coding sequence of apolypeptide or peptide into a vector that creates a fusion between thepolypeptide or peptide and a protein tag of interest. Suitable vectorsinclude, without limitation, the exemplary plasmids, pGEX(Amersham-Pharmacia Biotech, Inc.), pEGFP (CLONTECH Laboratories, Inc.),and pMAL™ (New England BioLabs, Inc.). Following expression, the epitopeor protein tagged polypeptide or peptide can be purified from a crudelysate of the translation system or host cell by chromatography on anappropriate solid-phase matrix. In some cases, it may be preferable toremove the epitope or protein tag (i.e., via protease cleavage)following purification.

In various embodiments, the recombinant oxidoreductase polypeptides aresecreted to the cell surface, retained in the cytoplasm of the hostcells, or secreted into the growth media. In each case, the productionof oxidoreductase polypeptides can be established usinganti-ketoreductase antibodies, or catalytic assays. The cell-surface andcytoplasmic recombinant Oxidoreductase polypeptides can be isolatedfollowing cell lysis and extraction of cellular proteins, while thesecreted recombinant oxidoreductase polypeptides can be isolated fromthe cell growth media by standard techniques (see I. M. Rosenberg (Ed.)1996, Protein Analysis and Purification: Benchtop Techniques,Birkhauser, Boston, Cambridge, Mass.).

Methods to improve polypeptide production may include 1) the use ofbacterial expressed fusion proteins comprising signal peptides ortargeting sequences to promote secretion (Tessier et al., 1991, Gene98:177-83; Gamier et al., 1995, Biotechnology 13:1101-4); 2) the use ofserum-free and protein-free culture systems for economical polypeptideproduction (Zang et al., 1995, Biotechnolog 13:389-92); 3) the use ofthe eukaryotic regulated secretory pathway for increased production andharvesting efficiency (see Chen et al., 1995, Biotechnology 13:1191-97).Polypeptide production may also be optimized by the utilization of aspecific vector, host cell, expression system, or production protocol,as described in detail herein.

Large-scale microbial protein production can be achieved usingwell-established methods (see, e.g., W. Crueger and A. Crueger, 1990,Biotechnology: A Textbook of Industrial Microbiology Sinauer Associates,Sunderland, Mass.; A. N. Glazer and H. Nikaido, 1995, Microbialbiotechnology: fundamentals of applied microbiology Freeman, New York,N.Y.; C. M. Brown et al., 1987, Introduction to Biotechnology: BasicMicrobiolog, Vol. 10, Blackwell, Oxford, UK). Methods for scaling-upbaculovirus protein production can be found, for example, in R. L. Tomet al., 1995, Methods Mol. Biol. 39:203-24; R. L. Tom et al., 1995,Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 44:53-8; S. A. Weiss, et al., 1995, MethodsMol. Biol. 39:79-95; and C. D. Richardson (Ed.) 1995, BaculovirusExpression Protocols: Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 39, HumanaPress, Totowa, N.J. In additional, large-scale protein productionservices are commercially available from, e.g., PanVera Corp., Madison,Wis.; Oxford Expression Technologies, Oxford UK; BioXpress Laboratory,Athens, Ga.; and Recombinant Protein Expression Laboratory, Gainesville,Fla.

In general, large-scale microbial enzyme production systems employ thefollowing procedures. Screens are used to test enzyme activity, pHoptimum, temperature optimum, secretion (downstream processing), and theability to grow the organism in inexpensive large-scale fermentationsystems (high population densities from inexpensive carbon and nitrogenfeedstocks, e.g., corn syrup, molasses, soybean meal, gluten, etc.).Strain improvements are created by random mutagenesis and screening ordirected genetic manipulation (e.g., in Bacillus, Streptomyces,Aspergillus and Saccharomyces strains). For example, mutant strains canprovide 1) relief of repression (e.g., catabolite repression); 2)increased promoter strength; 3) higher affinity ribosome-binding sites;4) higher efficiency of mRNA leader translation; 5) increased mRNA halflife; 6) increased translation efficiency through altered codon usage;7) improvement of secretion efficiency; and 8) increased gene dosage(i.e., via chromosomal amplification or plasmid amplification). Processimprovements are implemented by screening feeding strategies (e.g.,batch, fed-batch, continuous, or recycle), reactor configurations,stirring methods (e.g., via impeller, bubble, air lift, packed bed,solid state, or hollow fiber), pH control, foam, and temperature.Enzymes produced by exemplary large-scale microbial systems includevarious serine proteinases, Zn metalloproteinases, aspartic proteinases,isomerases, pectinases, lipases, α-amylase, cellases, and glucomylases.

The enzyme produced may also be purified by means known in the art, suchas ion-exchange, hydrophobic, gel filtration, and affinitychromatography.

Keto-Reduction of Pyrrolotriazine Compounds

In one embodiment of the invention, starting materials in the subjectprocess for preparing compounds according to formula Ib are thecorresponding keto group-containing compounds represented by the formulaIIb, i.e. 1-[4-(4-Halo-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-ones.

wherein Hal is defined above. One example is the compound of formulaIIc.

The stereoselective reduction may produce alcohols of opposingenantiomerism, and in that regard particular enzymes and substrates maybe used to produce the desired enantiomers. For example, an alcoholaccording to formula Ic*

may be formed from an enzymatic reaction conducted using a ketoreductasepRHBR_(7.0) with substrate IIb, which is described herein. Accordingly,the oxidoreductase enzymes of the invention may be used with a substrateto produce the desired enantiomer.

The substrate compounds represented by formula II or formula Ia (i.e,IIb or IIc) can be prepared by techniques described in the literatureand known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A typical process forforming the compounds represented by formula II is disclosed below.

The stereoselective reduction of1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-onerepresented by formula IIc above to form1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-olrepresented by formula Ic is carried out in accordance with theinvention by reaction with an oxidoreductase enzyme, or preferably, amicroorganism that supplies an oxidoreductase enzyme capable ofcatalyzing the enzymatic reduction of the ketones represented by formulaII. The cells of the microorganism may be in the form of intact wetcells or dried cells such as lyophilized, spray-dried or heat-driedcells, or in the form of treated cell material such as ruptured cell orcell extracts. While a large and varied number of microorganisms areknown to supply some form of oxidoreductase, it has been found inaccordance with the invention that only selected species of Rhodococcus,Flavobacterium, Saccharothrix, and Pichia catalyze the reduction of thecompound represented by formula II to form the desired compoundrepresented by formula I in high quantitative and enantiomeric yield.These species are Rhodococcus australis (ATCC 35215), Pichia angusta(ATCC 58401) ketoreductase expressed in Eherichia coli, Flavobacteriumfuscum, (ATCC 25310) Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes (ATCC 39243), andPichia methanolica (ATCC 56508). The term “ATCC” as used herein refersto the accession number of the depository for the particular organism,i.e. the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive,Rockville, Md. 20852.

The enzymatic reduction method of the invention may be carried outsubsequent to the fermentation of the microorganism employed, i.e. as atwo-stage fermentation and reduction, or concurrently therewith, i.e. asa single-stage or in situ fermentation and reduction. In the latter, themicroorganism may be grown in an appropriate medium, especially onecontaining nitrogen and carbon sources, until sufficient growth isrealized and then a compound selected from those compounds representedby formula II is added thereto. The enzymatic reduction is thereaftercontinued until virtually complete conversion of the compoundrepresented by formula II is attained.

In the two-stage methodology, the microorganism is initially grown in asuitable medium as described above until it exhibits a predeterminedlevel of enzymatic activity at which point the cells are harvested byconventional separation techniques and microbial cell suspensionsprepared therefrom containing appropriate buffering agents and the like.Suitable buffering agents include phosphate buffers, particularlypotassium phosphate buffer, tris-HCl, sodium acetate and the like. Watermay also be used to prepare suspensions of microbial cells. The compoundrepresented by formula II is then added thereto and the enzymaticreduction continued until the conversion is virtually complete. Ineither instance, the appropriate growth medium will include, aspreviously stated, sources of carbon and nitrogen and trace elements.Inducers may be added as well. The term “inducer” means any compoundinitiating or enhancing the desired enzymatic, i.e. oxidoreductase,activity within the cell to produce the desired product.1-[4-(4-Fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-one represented by formula IIcwould be considered an inducer, particularly when added in smallquantities during the growth of the microorganism.

Suitable carbon sources for the medium may include sugars, such asmaltose, lactose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, sucrose, starch,mannitol, and the like, organic acids and their salts such as sodiumacetate, sodium citrate and the like, amino acids and their salts, suchas sodium glutamate and the like, and alcohols, such as ethanol,propanol, glycerol, propylene glycol and the like. Suitable nitrogensources may include N-Z amine A, corn steep liquor, soy bean meal, beefextracts, yeast extracts, molasses, baker's yeast, tryptone, nutrisoy,peptone, yeastamin, sodium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and the like.Suitable salts may include phosphates, sodium, potassium, magnesium, andcalcium salts. Suitable trace elements may include cobalt, nickel, iron,and manganese. The appropriate media utilized in accordance with theinvention may include a plurality of constituents selected from any ofthese categories. Representative preferred media include aqueous mediacontaining the following, in weight percent: Ingredient Weight PercentNo. 1 Malt Extract 1% pH 7.0 Yeast Extract 1% Peptone 1% Glucose 2% No.2 Malt Extract 1% pH 7.0 Yeast Extract 1% Peptone 0.3%   Glucose 4% No.3 Malt Extract 1% pH 7.0 Yeast Extract 1% Peptone 0.3%   Glucose 2% No.4 Malt Extract 1% pH 7.0 Yeast Extract 1% Peptone 0.3%   SodiumSuccinate 2%

The pH given above for the media is post-sterilization. Beforesterilization, the pH is preferably adjusted to from about 6 to 8, mostpreferably about pH 6.5. The media are then sterilized, for example, byheating at a temperature of about 121° C. for 30 minutes. Followingsterilization, the media are adjusted to pH 6.5 to 7.5, most preferablyabout pH 7.0. During microbial growth and the reduction process, the pHis maintained at between about 4.0 and 9.0, preferably between about pH6.0 and 8.0. An appropriate base or acidic salt from among theconstituents named above can conveniently be utilized for adjustment ofthe pH.

The temperature of the reaction mixture is a measure of the heat energyavailable for the reduction process, and for this reason, a suitabletemperature should be maintained to ensure that there is sufficientenergy available for the process to go to completion. A suitabletemperature range for the process of the invention is in the range offrom about 15° C. to about 60° C., preferably from about 25° C. to about40° C. Pressure is not known to be critical for the practice of theprocess of the invention and for convenience atmospheric pressure istypically maintained.

The process of the invention is preferably carried out under aerobicconditions. Agitation and aeration of the reaction mixture is alsobeneficial to the subject process in that it affects the amount ofoxygen available for the biotransformation. The process isadvantageously carried out, for example, in shake-flask cultures orfermentor tanks during the growth of the microorganisms in asingle-stage or two-stage process as described above. Agitation in therange of about 50 to 1000 RPM is preferred, with about 50 to 500 RPMbeing most preferred. Aeration of about 0.1 to 10 volumes of air pervolume of media per minute (v/Vt.) is preferred, with aeration of about1 volume per volume of media per minute being particularly preferred.

Complete conversion of the compound represented by formula II mayrequire, for example, from about 4 to 48 hours, typically from about 4to 24 hours, measured from the time of addition of the compoundrepresented by formula II to the media. It is preferred that the mediabe aqueous based, although an organic liquid or a miscible orimmiscible, i.e. biphasic, organic/aqueous liquid mixture may beutilized as well.

The stereoselective enzymatic reduction process of the invention may becarried out using a co-factor such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NADH), or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)especially when an isolated enzyme would be utilized. NADH or NADPH, forexample, may thereafter be regenerated and reused. A further enzyme thatregenerates the NADH in situ may be employed such as formatedehydrogenase or glucose dehydrogenase. Similarly, NADPH may beregenerated by glucose dehydrogenase. Suitable hydrogen donors includemolecular hydrogen, a formate (e.g. an alkali metal or ammoniumformate), glucose, a hypophosphite or an electrochemical reduction inthe presence of a viologen, for example methyl viologen. It is alsopossible to regenerate NADH without further enzymes using, for example,ethanol or formate.

It is further preferred to add the compound of formula II to thereaction media so that it is up to about 100 g/L, for example based onweight per liter of the reaction medium; the desired amount may also beexpressed as from about 0.2% to about 5% by weight, based on thecombined weight of starting compound and media. The inoculum ofmicroorganism relative to the amount of starting material is sufficientto provide for the enzymatic reduction of the compound represented byformula II with the times described above, generally from about 5 wt. %to about 30 wt. % cells concentration. Utilizing the preferred reactionparameters described above with the microorganisms given will provide areaction yield of greater than 70%, optimally in excess of 99% and, anenantiomeric purity greater than 93%, optimally in excess of 99% of thedesired enantiomer of the compound represented by formula I. The productof the reduction process of the invention, i.e. the compoundsrepresented by formula I may be recovered by any suitable methods forisolation and/or purification, e.g. methodologies such as extraction,distillation, crystallization, column chromatography and the like.

It is understood that various other embodiments and modifications in thepractice of the invention will be apparent to, and can be readily madeby, those of ordinary skill in the art without departing form the scopeand spirit of the invention as described above.

EXAMPLE 11-[4-(4-Fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-one

Preparation: A solution of potassium4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-olate(126.13 mmoles; 50.00 g) in dimethylformamide (200 mL), prepared from4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-olwith one equivalent of 25% potassium methoxide in methanol, was stirredat room temperature for 1-2 h. This solution was added slowly over 2 hto a mixture of chloroacetone (214.42 mmoles; 17.40 mL), potassiumcarbonate (63.06 mmoles; 8.80 g) and dimethylformamide (100 mL).Stirring continued for another 15 h at room temperature and 300 mL ofwater was added slowly over 20 minutes, ˜10° C. exotherm was observed.The slurry was cooled to 15° C. and filtered after 1 h. The filter cakewas washed with 200 mL of 2:1 water-DMF mixture followed by 200 mLwater. The wet cake was dried at 50° C. in a vacuum oven for 16 h toprovide the ketone product (44.22 g; 95.18% yield) as a solid.

Recrystallization: The dry cake was slurried in 440 mL oftetrahydrofuran and heated to 50° C. 660 mL of water was added slowlyover 1 h and heating continued at the same temperature for another 2 h.The slurry was cooled to 15° C. over 1 h and stirred for 2 h, thenfiltered. The filter cake was washed with 300 mL ofwater-tetrahydrofuran (2:1) mixture and dried at 50° C. in a vacuum ovenfor 16 h to provide1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-one(40.1 g; 86.3% yield) as a solid with a purity of 99.1% as judged byHPLC. MS: (M+H)⁺=369.

EXAMPLE 6 Alternate

Preparation: A solution of potassium4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-olate(126.13 mmoles; 50.00 g) in dimethylformamide¹ (200 mL), prepared from4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-olwith one equivalent of 25% potassium methoxide in methanol, was preparedand stirred at room temperature for 1-2 h. Chloroacetone (151.35 mmoles;12.28 mL) was charged, a 5° C. exotherm was observed and stirringcontinued at room temperature for 1 h. Additional chloroacetone (63.06mmoles; 5.12 mL) along with potassium carbonate³ (63.06 mmoles; 8.80 g)was added and stirring continued for another 15 h at room temperature.About 300 mL of water was added slowly over 20 minutes, ˜10° C. exothermwas observed. The slurry was cooled to 15° C. and filtered after 1 h.The filter cake was washed with 200 mL of 2:1 water-DMF mixture followedby 200 mL water. The wet cake was dried at 50° C. in a vacuum oven for16 h to provide the ketone product (45 g; 96.85% yield) as a solid.

Recrystallization: The dry cake was slurried in 450 mL oftetrahydrofuran⁴ and heated to around 50° C. Then 675 mL of water wasadded slowly over 1 h and heating continued at the same temperature foranother 2 h. The slurry was cooled to 15° C. over 1 h and stirred for 2h, then filtered. The filter cake was washed with 300 mL ofwater-tetrahydrofuran (2:1) mixture and dried at 50° C. in a vacuum ovenfor 16 h to provide1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-one(37.6 g; 81% yield) as a solid with a purity of 99.1% as judged by HPLC.MS: (M+H)⁺=369.¹This reaction also can be performed in acetonitrile solvent.²Potassium ethoxide and sodium methoxide bases also gave similarresults.³Sodium carbonate, cesium carbonate and DBU bases also can be used.⁴Recrystallization from acetone/methyl t-butylether mixture andmethylenechloride alone also gave similar results.

EXAMPLE 2 Stereoselective Enzymatic Reduction: Use of Whole Cells—SingleStage Process

Various microbial cultures independently was inoculated into 100 mL ofMedium 1 as noted above in a 500 mL flask and incubated at 28° C. and200 RPM on a shaker for 22 hours. The pH of broth was adjusted to pH 7.0with 1 M potassium phosphate buffer. Glucose was added to the cell brothat 25 mg/mL and 50 mg of1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-onerepresented by represented by formula IIc was added thereto. Thebiotransformations (reductions) were carried out at 28° C. and 200 RPMon a shaker. At predetermined times, the 1 mL reaction mixtures werequenched with 4 mL of ethyl acetate. Two mL of the separated organicphase was evaporated to dryness under a stream of nitrogen and theresidue taken up with 1 mL of acetonitrile, filtered through a 0.2micron filter and analyzed by HPLC for1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-olrepresented by formula Ic. The results are summarized in Table 1 below.

HPLC Method: To determine the conversion of substrate to product

Column: YMC pack Pro C18, 50×4.6 mm, 3 μm, Waters

Solvent A (0.05% TFA in Water:Methanol 80:20)

Solvent B: (0.05% TFA in Acetonitrile:Methanol 80:20)

Start % B=50% B

End % B=60% B

Gradient Time=5 min

Wavelength=220 nm

Flow rate=1 ml/min

Temperature=room temperature

Stop Time=5 min

Retention Times Ketone (formula IIc) 3.8 min Alcohol (formula Ic)   3min

HPLC Method: To determine the enantiomeric purity of the product

Column: Chiralpak AD-RH, 150×4.6 mm, 5 μ, Chiral Technologies Inc.

Solvent A: Heptane

Solvent B: (Heptane:isopropanol 50:50)

Isocratic 20% B

Flow rate=0.5 mg/ml

Temperature=ambient

Wavelength 1: 220 nm

Retention Times: Ketone 17.8 min Desired Alcohol 20.8 min Undesiredalcohol, enantiomer of 22.8 min

TABLE 1 % Enantiomeric Microbial Cultures Yield (M %) Excess Rhodococcusaustralis, ATCC 35215 19 >99 rE. coli 2 93 (Pichia angusta ATCC 58401ketoreductase) Flavobacterium fuscum, ATCC 25310 12 89 Saccharothrixaerocolonigenes, 16 84 ATCC 39243 Pichia methanolica, ATCC 56508 2 74

EXAMPLE 3 Cell Extracts Process

The substrate and the product for this Example were as described inExample 1. The two cultures of Flavobacterium fuscum (ATCC 25310) andSaccharothrix aerocolonigenes (ATCC 39243) were grown in both glucosemedium (F7) and glycerol medium (using glycerol instead of glucose inF7). Cell suspension in buffer containing 50 mM potassium phosphatebuffer, 10% glycerol, 2 mM DTT, 1 mM EDTA, and 1 mM PMSF (16 g cells in100 mL of buffer). After homogenizing the mixture for 30 to 60 seconds,the cell extract was prepared by microfluidization of the homogenizedcells. The cell extract was centrifuged at 18,000 rpm for 20 min. andsupernatant was used in bioreduction.

Cell extracts of S. aerocolonigenes grown in both media gave 11%conversion. F. fuscum cell extracts gave 90% conversion and >99%enantiomeric purity of formula Ic (product I). Formula IIc (substrateII) was used at 1 g/L (in DMSO or DMF as solvent) input in the reductionprocess. The activity and selectivity was higher with NAD as co-factorthan with NADP. The activity was also higher with glucose dehydrogenase(GDH) and glucose as co-factor regeneration system than with formatedehydrogenase (FDH) and sodium formate. Results are as shown in theTable 2 below. TABLE 2 Substrate Product Reaction Used M % EnantiomericMicroorganism Time (hrs) (mg/mL) Yield purity (%) Saccharothrix 20 1.011 >90 aerocolonigens 32 2.0 8 >90 ATCC 39243 Flavobacterium 2 1.095 >99 fuscum 2 2.0 87 >99 ATCC 25310 2 5.0 72 >99

EXAMPLE 4 Reduction Process using Recombinant Escherichia coli

A reductase (88,000 molecular weight with 29,000 subunit size molecularweight) from Pichia angusta, ATCC 58401 was purified and cloned inEscherichia coli. The recombinant strain also contained a gene forglucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. This rec. Escherichia coil cells weregrown in a medium containing 2% yeastamine; 4% glycerol; 0.6% sodiumphosphate, dibasic; 0.3% potassium phosphate, monobasic, 0.125% ammoniumsulfate; 0.0246% magnesium sulfate, heptahydrate; 0.005% kanamycinadjusted to pH 7.2. Cells were grown in a 4-L flask containing 1 Lmedium at 30° C., 250 RPM for 24 hours. Cells were harvested and used inthe reduction process at 1 g/L Formula IIc substrate input. After 24hours reaction, Formula Ic was obtained in 12% yield with an e.e. of93%. Cell extracts of rec. Escherichia coli expressing Pichia angustaketo reductase gave 21% yield and >99% e.e. for compound I. Glucose andglucose dehydrogenase were used to regenerate cofactor NADH required forthis reduction.

Enzyme Purification and Sequencing

Pichia angusta, ATCC 58401 cells (2.088 kg) were obtained from a 50-Lfermentation. Using a whole cell assay measuring conversion of 1 mg/ml2-chloro-1-(3-chlorophenyl)ethanone to (S)2-chloro-1-(3-chloro-phenyl)-ethanol, activity was highest 37 h afterthe start of the fermentation (72% conversion in 1 h with 80% ee).Activity when cells were harvested after 48 h was 32% conversion in 1 hwith 85% ee. Purification of the Pichia angusta, ATCC 58401ketoreductase was carried out to obtain amino acid sequences necessaryfor Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of the correspondinggene. During initial purification attempts the activity was not stable,despite the addition of yeast protease inhibitor cocktail, 10% glyceroland 1 mM dithiothreitol. Of various additives tried for stabilization,only NADP and NADPH were effective (NAD was not effective). Therefore0.5 mM NADP was added to column buffers. The ketoreductase from Pichiaangusta, ATCC 58401 was purified 112-fold from an extract usingPhenylsepharose, Q-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-100. FPLC with a unoQcolumn was used as a final step to obtain a single band on an SDS gelthat was blotted to PVDF for sequencing. The subunit molecular weightdetermined with an Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100 Protein 200 Labchip was 27kd.

An N-terminal sequence (H2N-DKLPTEAPQLP) was obtained which showedsequence homology with sorbitol dehydrogenase from Candida albicans. Atryptic digest gave several peaks which contained an estimated 50-100pmoles of peptide and sequences of two of the internal peptides(AIMNTNLDGVYYCAK and SLAMEWVGFAR) were obtained. These sequences alsoshowed homology with dehydrogenases in the data bases.

Cloning

Degenerate primers for the N-terminal and internal sequences were usedin PCR reactions to clone 400 and 600 base pair (bp) fragments of theketoreductase gene from Pichia angusta, ATCC 58401 DNA. The 400 bpfragment was used to prepare a digoxigenin-labelled probe which bound toa 4 kilobase (kb) band from a XhoI digest of Pichia angusta, ATCC 58401chromosomal DNA. A library was prepared in E. coli containing DNA fromthe 4 kb region of the XhoI digest ligated to the pZErO-2 vector, andthe probe was used to identify E. coli colonies carrying the homologoussequence. Sequencing of the plasmid prepared from one of the hybridizingcolonies showed that the insert contained an open reading framehomologous to known ketoreductases and that the sequences correspondingto the amino terminal and two internal peptides of the purified enzymewere present (SEQ ID NO:1). Primers that included NdeI and SmaI sitesbefore the start and stop sites of the insert, respectively, were usedto amplify the ketoreductase gene. The amplified fragment was ligatedinto pBMS2000 for expression in E. coli BL21 Star(DE3) under the controlof the tac promoter. After growth of the cells and induction with 1 mMisopropyl □-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG), a sonicated extract was preparedthat contained a predominant 27 kd protein. In an activity assay, theextract gave complete conversion of 2-chloro-1-(3-chlorophenyl)ethanoneto (S) 2-chloro-1-(3-chloro-phenyl)-ethanol with 100% ee.

Molecular Weight of Native Ketoreductase

The molecular weight of the expressed ketoreductase in the extract wasestimated as 88,094 by Superdex-200 gel filtration chromatography. Thepeak fraction from the column contained a single 27 kd subunit whenanalyzed with a Protein 200 Labchip (SEQ ID NO:3, lanes 5 and 10). Fromthe amino acid composition derived from the gene sequence, the subunitmolecular weight is 29,220, suggesting that the native enzyme is atrimer.

Expression of Pichia Angusta, ATCC 58401 and Saccharomyces cerevisiaeglucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in E. coli

The ketoreductase was copied from the plasmid by PCR. SmaI and HindIIIsites were added upstream of the promoter and a SmaI site was added atthe 3′ end via the primers. The ketoreductase gene was ligated at a SmaIsite into pBMS2000-SCGD which contains a cloned S. cerevisiae glucose6-phosphate dehydrogenase gene. Restriction digests with BamHI and NdeIwere used to identify plasmids with the two genes in the sameorientation, which was thought to be a desired situation for a highertranscription rate. One of the plasmids with the desired orientation wasused to transform BL21Star(DE3) E. coli for expression. This strain wasdesignated E. coli. The cells were induced with either 50 μM or 1 mMIPTG. Expression of both enzymes was 2 to 3-fold better at 1 mM IPTG.Sonicated extracts of the cells with either concentration of inducerconverted Formula IIc compound 2 to Formula Ic compound 1 in buffercontaining NADP and glucose 6-phosphate. The desired alcohol of FormulaIc was obtained with >99.9% e.e. The nucleic acid sequence of the genefrom Pichia angusta (SEQ ID NO:1) and its amino acid sequence (SEQ IDNO:2) are shown below.

Sequence of Ketoreductase Gene.

Peptides from amino acid sequencing are underlined in bold.M N I I G N Y  D K L P T E A P Q 1ATGAACATTATCGGAAATTACGACAAGCTACCAACCGAGGCTCCTCA A L P S N V F S L F S L K G K V A 49TTGCCTTCCAACGTTTTCAGCCTGTTCTCCCTGAAAGGCAAGGTGGC CS I T G G S T G I G L A V A E A 97AGCATTACTGGTGGCTCGACAGGAATTGGTCTGGCTGTGGCAGAAGC GY A Q A G A D V A I W Y N S T N 145TATGCTCAGGCAGGCGCAGACGTGGCCATCTGGTACAACAGCACAAA CA D H E A E R L S K T Y G I R A 193GCTGACCACGAAGCTGAGAGGCTGTCCAAGACGTACGGGATCCGTGC CK A Y K C A V G D F D Q V K A T 241AAGGCTTACAAGTGCGCAGTGGGCGACTTTGACCAGGTCAAGGCCAC GI D A I E S D F G T I H I F V A 289ATCGATGCCATTGAGTCTGACTTTGGCACGATTCACATTTTTGTTGC AN A G I G S Q S V P V I D A S L 337AATGCGGGGATTGGCTCCCAATCGGTGCCTGTGATCGATGCGTCGCT G E K Y R A I M N T N L D G V Y Y 385GAAAAATACCGGGCAATCATGAACACGAATTTGGACGGCGTGTACTA C C A K C V G P I F K K H G K G S 433TGCGCCAAGTGCGTGGGTCCAATTTTCAAGAAGCACGGCAAGGGTTC CF I I T T S Q A A H I V T A H V 481TTTATCATCACCACCTCACAGGCAGCCCATATTGTCACGGCTCACGT GW Q A A Y N A S K A A C I Q I A 529TGGCAAGCGGCTTACAACGCCAGCAAGGCAGCGTGCATCCAGATTGC C K S L A M E W V G F A R  V N T I 577AAGAGTCTGGCAATGGAATGGGTCGGCTTCGCCCGTGTCAATACGAT CS P G Y I V T P I S K D V P N E 625TCTCCAGGGTACATTGTCACCCCTATCTCGAAAGATGTGCCTAACGA GE K V K W C T L I P M G R E G L 673GAGAAAGTCAAGTGGTGCACGTTGATCCCAATGGGCAGAGAGGGGCT TP Q E L V G A Y L Y F A S D A S 721CCTCAAGAGCTTGTGGGCGCATACCTGTACTTTGCGTCGGACGCCTC AT F T T G A D L I I D G G Y C C 769ACCTTCACCACCGGCGCTGACCTCATCATTGACGGTGGTTATTGCTG C P * 817 CCATAA

EXAMPLE 5 Reduction Process Using Commercially Available Ketoreductases

Four different (R)-specific ketoreductases commercially available fromBiocatalytics, Inc. were evaluated for the reduction of Formula IIc toFormula Ic Glucose dehydrogenase and glucose were used to regeneratecofactor NADH required for this reduction. Three ketoreductases(KRED-A1B, KERD-A1C, KERD-A1D) gave the desired alcohol in reactionyield ranged from 47-75% with e.e. ranged from 99.3% to 100%.

In addition to the foregoing examples, it was determined that otheroxidoreductase enzymes derived according to the following examplesdemonstrated some level of ketoreductase activity.

EXAMPLE 6 Heterologous Expression of Ketoreductase from Flavobacteriumfuscum Conversion of Formula IIc ketone to Formula Ic Alcohol

The ketoreductase protein from Flavobacterium fuscum was purified. Ananalysis of the DNA sequence encoding the 16S ribosomal RNA generevealed that it was Stenotrophomonas acidaminophila.

The purified protein (molecular weight ˜50 kiloDaltons) was submittedfor amino acid sequencing and three distinct sequences were obtained.The N-terminal of the protein was determined to be MAEQFDVVIGAGPAGY. Twointernal sequences were obtained from trypsin digest fragments of thepurified protein: GQIIVDEH and AVAMVEPAGFVK. A comparison of thesesequences to the GenBank protein database revealed high homology to thedihydrogenlipoamide dehydrogenase from Xanthomonas campestris. Syntheticoligonucleotide primers composed of nucleotide sequences capable ofencoding the amino acid sequences derived from the purified protein wereprepared and used for PCR reactions designed to amplify a portion of thetarget gene from Flavobacterium fuscum chromosomal DNA. Based on thesimilarity between our purified protein and the GenBankdihydrogenlipoamide dehydrogenase, the expect distance between theN-terminal and the first internal amino acid sequence shown above was˜900 bp. The distance between the N-terminal and the second internalsequence was expected to be ˜1200 bp. After optimization of PCRconditions a single band was amplified from chromosomal DNA with eachcombination of PCR primers. As predicted, the amplified products were˜900 bp and ˜1200 bp.

The ˜1200 bp fragment was purified and ligated into a sequencing vector.The resulting plasmid (pCR₄₊₁₂₀₀VEGFR) was submitted for DNA sequencing.The completed sequence revealed a single open reading frame of 1215 bpencoding 405 amino acids. This open reading frame contained an exactmatch for both the N-terminal and the second internal amino acidsequences derived from the purified protein. Contained within this 1215bp sequence, at a distance of 916 bp from the N-terminal, was an exactmatch of the 8 residue second internal amino acid sequence. This dataindicates that a portion of the target gene encoding the purifiedprotein had been successfully isolated.

Based upon the molecular weight of the purified protein, the expectedsize of the entire gene is ˜1450 bp, indicating that ˜15% of the targetgene was not present in the 1215 bp PCR product. In order to isolate aDNA fragment containing the entire target gene, a library ofFlavobacterium fuscum chromosomal DNA was prepared in a fosmid vector.Each fosmid construct was designed to contain a random 40 kilobasefragment of Flavobacterium fuscum chromosomal DNA (<1% of the entiregenome). The recombinant fosmids were packaged in virus particles andused to transform Escherichia coli. Cells that had incorporated thefosmids were identified by the ability to form colonies in the presenceof a selective antibiotic. The colonies were lysed and the fosmid DNAwas transferred to a nylon filter. This filter was hybridized overnightin the presence of a chemoluminescently labeled sample of the original1215 bp gene fragment. Those colonies that had incorporated arecombinant fosmid containing a 40 kilobase fragment that encompassedthe 1215 bp ketoreductase region were identified by specifichybridization to the labeled probe. Eight positive colonies wereidentified. Each of these colonies was grown out in liquid medium andused to prepare recombinant fosmid DNA. Each fosmid preparation wastested for the ability to serve as a PCR template to reamplify the 1215bp fragment using the ketoreductase N-terminal and internal primers. Allof the fosmids amplified the correct fragment indicating that theycontained the desired gene region. The recombinant fosmid DNA wasdigested with a variety of restriction endonucleases and the resultingfragments were transferred to a nylon filter. This filter was hybridizedovernight with the labeled 1215 bp probe molecule. In each case a singleband hybridized to the probe. The BamHI digest generated a singlehybridizing fragment of ˜6300 bp. This fragment was isolated and clonedinto a sequencing vector. Using oligonucleotide primers based upon theDNA sequence of the initial 1215 bp PCR fragment, the regions of DNAsurrounding the previously identified ketoreductase gene sequences weredetermined. The resulting DNA sequence indicated that the entire targetgene had been successfully isolated. The VEGFR-KR gene (shown below) was1425 bp and encoded a 474 amino acid protein (shown below) with apredicted molecular weight of 49,908 Daltons, matching the protein. Thisdata, in conjunction with the presence of all three amino acid sequencesfound in the purified Flavobacterium fuscum protein indicatesconclusively the gene encoding the purified protein had been isolated.The nucleic acid DNA sequence as well as the amino acid sequence of theisolated gene are shown below as SEQ ID NO: 3 and 4. SEQ ID NO:3.Nucleic acid sequence of gene cloned from Flavobacterium fuscum (start)ATG GCTGAACAATTCGACGTCGTCGTCATCGGTGCCGGCCCGGCCGGCTACCATGCCGCCATCCGCGCTGCCCAGCTGGGCTTGAAGACCGCCTGCATCGATGCCGCGCTGGGCAAGGACGGCAAGCCGGCCCTGGGCGGCACCTGCCTGCGCGTGGGCTGCATCCCGTCCAAGGCGCTGCTGGATTCCTCGCGCCAGTTCTGGAACATGGGCCACATCTTCGGCGAGCACGGCATCAGCTTCGACAATGCCGGCATCGACGTGGAAAAGATGGTTGGCCGCAAGGACGCCATCGTCAAGCAGTTCACCGGCGGCATCGCGATGCTGTTCAAGGCCAACAAGGTTGCCACCTACTACGGCTTCGGCCAGCTGCAGGCCGGCAATGTGGTCACCGTGACCCAGCACGATGGTTCGGTGGTTGAGCTCAAGGGCACCAACGTCATCATCGCCGCCGGCTCGGACTCGATCGAGCTGCCGTTTGCCAAGTTCGACGGCAAGCACATCGTCGACAACGTCGGCGCGCTGGATTTCACCGAGACCCCGAAGCGCCTGGGCGTGATCGGTGCCGGCGTGATCGGCCTGGAGCTGGGCTCGGTCTGGAAGCGTCTGGGTTCGGAAGTCACCATCCTGGAAGCCGCGCCGAACTTCCTGGCCGCTGCCGACGCCGAAGTGGCCAAGCTGGCCGCGCGTGAATTCAAGAAGCAGGGCCTGGACATCAAGCTCGGCGCCAAGCTGGCCAAGGCCGAAGTGGTCGGCGACGAAGTCGTGCTGACCTACAACGACGCCAATGGCGAGCAGACCCTGACCGTGGACAAGCTGCTGGTGGCCGTCGGCCGCAAGGCCGCCTCCAAGGGCCTGCTGGGCGAAGGCTGCCAGGTCAAGCTCAACGAGCGTGGCCAGATCATCGTTGACGAGCACTGCCACACCGGCGTGGACGGCGTCTGGGCCGTGGGTGACTGCGTGCGCGGGCCGATGCTGGCGCACAAGGGCTTCGAGGAAGGCATCGCGGTGGCCGAACTGATCGCCGGCCTGCCGGGTCACGTCAACTTCGACACCATCCCGTGGGTGATCTACACCGAGCCGGAGCTGGCCTGGGTCGGCAAGACCGAACAGCAGCTCAAGGACGAGGGCATCCCGTACAAGGCCGGCAGCTTCCCGTTCGCCGCCAACGGCCGTGCCGTGGCGATGGTCGAGCCGGCCGGTTTCGTCAAGGTCCTGGCCCACGCCGAGACCGACCGCGTGCTCGGCATGCACCTGGTTGGCGCCAATGTCTCCGAGCTGGTGCACGAAGGTGTGCTGACCATGGAGTTCAGCGGCTCGGCCGATGACCTGGCACGCATCTGCCACGCCCACCCGTCGCTGTCGGAAGTGATTCACGACGCGGCGATGGCGGTGAGCAAGCGCGCCATCCACAAGACCAAC TGA (stop) SEQ ID NO:4. Amino acidsequence encoded by cloned gene (matches to purified protein noted)MAEQFDVVVI GAGPAGY HAA IRAAQLGLKT ACIDAALGKD GKPALGGTCL RVGCIPSKALLDSSRQFWNM GHIFGEHGIS FDNAGIDVEK MVGRKDAIVK QFTGGIAMLF KANKVATYYGFGQLQAGNVV TVTQHDGSVV ELKGTNVIIA AGSDSIELPF AKFDGKHIVD NVGALDFTETPKRLGVIGAG VIGLELGSVW KRLGSEVTIL EAAPNFLAAA DAEVAKLAAR EFKKQGLDIKLGAKLAKAEV VGDEVVLTYN DANGEQTLTV DKLLVAVGRK AASKGLLGEG CQVKLNER GQIIVDEH CHTG VDGVWAVGDC VRGPMLAHKG FEEGIAVAEL IAGLPGHVNF DTIPWVIYTEPELAWVGKTE QQLKDEGIPY KAGSFPFAAN GR AVAMVEPA GFVK VLAHAE TDRVLGMHLVGANVSELVHE GVLTMEFSGS ADDLARICHA HPSLSEVIHD AAMAVSKRAI HKTN

A new set of oligonucleotide PCR primers were prepared to amplify thecloned gene while adding an NdeI restriction endonuclease cut site(CATATG) at the initiation codon and adding a BamHI cut site immediatelydownstream of the TGA terminator codon. This PCR reaction successfullyamplified the modified ketoreductase gene from the isolated 6300 bpBamHI library fragment. The modified ketoreductase PCR fragment wasdigested with NdeI and BamHI and inserted into expression vectorpBMS2004 (also cut with NdeI and BamHI), forming pBMS2004+VEGFRmod. Thisligation reaction was used to transform E. coli and the correctconstruct was verified by PCR of the insert as well as diagnosticrestriction digests of the recombinant plasmid pBMS2004+modifiedketoreductase was used to transform the E. coli strain BL21.

The expression transformant, BL21/pBMS2004+VEGFRmod, was grown inMT5-mod2 medium (2% Quest HyPea, 1.85% Tastone154, 4% glycerol, 0.6%Na₂PO₄, 0.125% (NH₄)₂SO₄, 0.04% UCON, supplemented with 50 μg/mlkanamycin) at 30 degrees until OD₆₀₀˜0.9. At that point cultures wereinduced with isopropylthiogalactoside (IPTG) at either 1.0 mM, 0.2 mM,or 0.05 mM. Cell pellets were collected immediately before induction aswell as 1, 3, or 20 hours post-induction. A parallel culture ofuntransformed BL21 served as a negative control. Protein samples fromthe expression cultures were prepared. Separate SDS/PAGE gels were runcontaining either the total cellular protein from each sample, or justthe soluble protein fraction. A protein molecular weight standard wasrun in an adjacent lane. In each case the highly overexpressedheterologous protein has a molecular weight of ˜50 kD, matching that ofthe protein purified from Flavobacterium fuscum as well as the predictedmolecular weight based on the encoded amino acid sequence of the clonedgene.

Cells and extracts prepared from recombinant Escherichia coli gaveconversion of Compound 2 to Compound 1.

EXAMPLE 7 Enzymatic Conversion of Formula IIc to Alternative AlcoholEnantiomer (Compound Ic*)

Various microbial cultures (Table 4) were independently inoculated into100 mL of Medium 1 as noted above in a 500 mL flask and incubated at 28°C. and 200 RPM on a shaker for 22 hours. The pH of broth was adjusted topH 7.0 with 1 M potassium phosphate buffer. Glucose was added to thecell broth at 25 mg/mL and 50 mg of1-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-onerepresented by represented by formula II was added thereto. Thebiotransformations (reductions) were carried out at 28° C. and 200 RPMon a shaker. At predetermined times, the 1 mL reaction mixtures werequenched with 4 mL of ethyl acetate. Two mL of the separated organicphase was evaporated to dryness under a stream of nitrogen and theresidue taken up with 1 mL of acetonitrile, filtered through a 0.2micron filter and analyzed by HPLC for compound 3 (formula Ic*). Theresults are summarized in Table 1 below.

HPLC Method: To determine the conversion of substrate to product

Column: YMC pack Pro C18, 50×4.6 mm, 3 μm, Waters

Solvent A (0.05% TFA in Water:Methanol 80:20)

Solvent B: (0.05% TFA in Acetonitrile:Methanol 80:20)

Start % B=50% B

End % B=60% B

Gradient Time=5 min

Wavelength=220 nm

Flow rate=1 ml/min

Temperature=room temperature

Stop Time=5 min

Retention Times Formula IIc 3.8 min Alcohol   3 min

HPLC Method: To determine the enantiomeric purity of the product

Column: Chiralpak AD-RH, 150×4.6 mm, 5μ, Chiral Technologies Inc.

Solvent A: Heptane

Solvent B: (Heptane:isopropanol 50:50)

Isocratic 20% B

Flow rate=0.5 mg/ml

Temperature=ambient

Wavelength 1: 220 nm

Retention Times: Formula IIc 17.8 min Formula Ic 20.8 min Alternativealcohol, 22.8 min

(Formula III Enantiomer of Compound 1) TABLE 4 Cultures ProducingAlternative Alcohol Enantiomer (Compound 1c) Compound Ic Compound IcYield (M %) % ee Culture Candida boidini 75.4 100 (ATCC 26175) Candidafamata 98.6 100 (ATCC 26418) Candida kefyr 86.4 100 (ATCC 748) Hansenulapolymorpha 77.2 100 (ATCC 26012) Hansenula polymorpha 96.5 100(ATCC13896) Rhodococcus erythropolis 87.1 100 (ATCC 25544) RecombinantCultures Recombinant E. coli 38.4 100 Escherichia coli 60.6 100JM110(pBMS2000-PPFDH-SHBR) Escherichia coli 39.5 100JM110(pBMS2000-SCGD-RHBR)

(R)-1-(4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methylpyrrolo[1,2-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy)propan-2-ol

The reaction mixture from enzymatic reduction (with 50 g ketone input)was diluted with 400 mL 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran and 100 mLtetrahydrofuran and stirred at 20° C. for 2 h. Phases were separated andorganic phase washed with 15 wt/vol % aqueous sodium chloride solution.The organic phase was filtered and concentrated at atmospheric pressureto a minimum agitation volume (˜250 mL). Tetrahydrofuran (450 mL) wascharged and concentrated again to minimum agitation volume. This processwas repeated until the amount of residual 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran isbelow 5 vol/vol %. The mixture was diluted to 300 mL volume withtetrahydrofuran and heated to around 60° C. Heptane (500 mL) was addedslowly over 2 h with seeding when around 100 mL of heptane was added.Stirring continued at the same temperature for another 2 h. The mixturewas slowly cooled to 20° C. over 2 h and stirred for 16 h. The slurrywas filtered and the filter cake was washed with 200 mL heptane. The wetcake was dried at 50° C. in a vacuum oven for 16 h to provide(R)-1-(4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methylpyrrolo[1,2-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy)propan-2-ol(45.13 g; 89.77% yield) as a solid with a purity of 98.92% as judged byHPLC. MS: (M+H)⁺=371.

EXAMPLE 8 Purification of Reductase from Pseudomonas putida and Cloningof Ketoreductase in Escherichia coli to produce Escherichia coliJM110(pBMS2000-PPFDH-SHBR)

Growth of Pseudomonas putida was carried out in a 4-L flask containing 1L of medium. The culture was grown in F7 medium (10 g/L yeast extract,10 g/L malt extract, 1 g/L peptone and 20 g/L glucose, pH7). The flaskwas inoculated with 5% inoculum obtained from a 24-hour flask grownculture with F-7 medium. The cells were harvested after 48 hr growth at28° C. and 150 RPM. Approximately 12 g of cells were obtained, which wasstored at −70° C.

A. Purification of Ketoreductase

Pseudomonas putida cells were suspended at 10% in 500 ml of buffer A (10mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.1 containing 10% glycerol, 1 mM DTT, 1 mMEDTA). The cell suspension was disintegrated by repeated passage throughmicrofluidzer at 12,000 psi. The disintegrated cells was centrifuged at14,000 rpm for 15 min at 4° C., and collected the supernatant containingthe activity which was refer to as cell extracts.

Cell extracts was fractionated by solid ammonium sulfate as 0-30%saturation, 30-50% saturation and 50-80% saturation. The pellet obtainedby 50-80% saturation was then solubulized in the buffer A and was loadedon to Sephacryl S-200 gel-filtration column (84×2.5 cm column). Fractionof 8 ml (12 min/fraction) were collected. Fractions (33-35) containingthe activity were pooled and loaded on to a 5 ml Blue-gel (affinitycolumn)column. The column was washed with 40 ml of buffer A. Elution ofthe enzyme was carried out by increasing the concentration of NAD (10 mMNAD in Buffer A). The fraction (eluted with 2 mM NAD) containing theactivity was concentrated by Amicon concentrator (YM10) and was loadedonto the Sephadex-75 column. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 27Kdaltons as judged by 12.5% SDS-PAGE and silver staining.

B. PVDF-Blotting and Sequencing of the Purified Protein

The purified protein was blotted on to a PVDF-membrane according to themanufactures instructions (Bio-Rad). The purified protein was stainedwith coomassie blue and the protein band was excised from the membrane.The excised protein was then sent out for sequencing to ArgoBioanalytica. The peptide sequences obtained from Argo Bioanalytica areas follows: N-Terminal Sequence: ANSRTALIIGASRGLG Internal peptides:Peptide 1: NNDIGDLFMTNAVAPIR Peptide 2: AALNSMINSFFVEQQRPDLCVLAMHPG

A BLAST2 homology search using the above sequences showed significantregions of homology to short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases. For use inpolymerase chain reaction (PCR), degenerate oligonucleotide primers wereprepared based on the corresponding codons of the amino acids. Thedirection of the primers (i.e., sense and/or anti-sense) were determinedusing the likely location of the amino acid sequence within the proteinby comparison to homologous dehydrogenases/reductases. TABLE 5 PrimerCorresponds to name Nucleotide sequence (direction) Oligo 424ACIGCIYTIATHATHGGIGC TALIIGAS (sense) Oligo 425 TTYATGACIAAYGCIGTIGCFMTNAVA (sense) Oligo 426 GCIACIGCRTTIGTCATRAA FMTNAVA (anti-sense)Oligo 427 ACRAARAAOSWRTTDATCAT MINSFFV (anti-sense)

Standard nucleoside bases (adenosine, thymine, cytosine, and guanosine)are indicated by “A”, “T”, “C”, or “G”. “I”=inosine (replaces all fourbases). Mixed bases are: “R” (A+G); “S” (C+G); “W” (A+T); “Y” (C+T).Amino acid abbreviations correspond to those designated by theInternational Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Combinationsof sense and anti-sense primers were tried with the FailSafe series ofPCR buffer and P. putida chromosomal DNA as template in 10 μL reactions.Amplification was carried out in a Hybaid PCR Express thermocycler usinga five-stage “touchdown” PCR strategy: Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4Stage 5 94° 1 min 94° 30 sec 94° 30 sec 94° 30 sec 72° 5 min 55° 30 sec55°-->40° 30 sec 40° 30 sec 72° 30 sec 72° 30 sec 72° 30 sec 1 cycle 4cycles 20 cycles 5 cycles

Strong amplification of a single fragment of the expected molecularweight (based on homology to other reductases) were obtained usingoligonucleotide combinations 424+426 (ca. 300 base pairs) and 425+427(ca. 200 base pairs). Both reactions were scaled up 20-fold andincluded: 2×FailSafe buffer “F”, 100 μL; 10×Cresol Red-sucrose loadingdye, 20 μL; oligonucleotide (100 pmol/μL), 0.8 μL each; Z-Taq DNApolymerase, 1.0 μL; P. putida DNA (1 mg/mL), 1.0 μL; dH₂O, 73.4 μL. Theentire reaction mix was electrophoresed on a 1.0% agarose gel for 2 hrat 100 v in TAE buffer (0.04 M Trizma base, 0.02 M acetic acid, and0.001 M EDTA, pH 8.3) containing 0.5 μg/ml ethidium bromide. Fragmentswere excised from the gel and purified using the Qiagen Gel PurificationKit (Qiagen) before ligation to vector pCR_(2.1) (Invitrogen) accordingto the manufacturer's recommendations. Competent Escherichia coli DH10Bcells (40 μL; Invitrogen) were transformed by electroporation using aBioRad GenePulser unit at 2.5 kV, 25 μF, and 200

SOC medium (960 μL; per liter, 5 g yeast extract, 20 g Bacto-tryptone,580 mg NaCl, 186 mg KCl, 940 mg MgCl2, 1.2 g MgSO₄, and 3.6 g glucose)was added to the transformed cells and transferred to a 1.5 mL microfugetube. The cells were shaken at 37° C. for 1 hr at 225 rpm and spreadonto an LB agar plate containing 50 μg/mL kanamycin sulfate and 80 μg/mLof Bluo-gal (Invitrogen). The plates were incubated for 20 hr at 37° C.Colonies containing inserts were white amidst a background of bluecolonies. Plasmid DNA was extracted from cultures of whitekanamycin-resistant colonies obtained from both ligation/transformationreactions using the Qiagen Mini-Plasmid Purification Kit (Qiagen). Inall instances, an insert of the expect size was obtained; samples ofplasmid containing the ca. 300-bp fragment from ligation of the PCRreaction using oligos 424+426 was submitted for DNA sequencing. Thesequence was homologous to the same proteins identified by the partialamino acids obtained from the purified SHBR. Therefore, oligos 424+426were used to prepare a digoxygenin-labeled fragment using the PCR DIGProbe Synthesis Kit.

C. Southern Blot Hybridization

For Southern hybridization, P. putida genomic DNA was cleaved with aseries of restriction endonucleases (ApaI, BamHI, BglII, EcoRI, EcoRV,HindIII, KpnI, SmaI, and XbaI). Reactions contained 5 μg DNA,appropriate buffer, and 20 units enzyme in 30 μL final volume. Digestswere carried out for 3 hr at 37° C., then electrophoresed in a 0.8%TAE-agarose gel at 16 v for 18 hr. The DNA was transferred to Hybond N+nylon filters under alkaline conditions using the VacuGene vacuumblotting unit. Hybridization of the labeled SHBR-specific PCR fragmentto the blotted DNA digests was performed in EasyHyb solution (Roche) for18 hr at 42° C. Stringency washes were carried out in 0.5×SSC(20×SSC=173.5 g NaCl and 88.2 g NaCl, pH 7.0), 0.1% sodium dodecylsulfate at 68° C. for 2×15 minutes. Detection using afluorescein-labeled, anti-digoxygenin antibody was performed asrecommended by the manufacturer (Roche).

D. Cloning and Colony Hybridization:

Fifty μg of chromosomal DNA was cleaved with 100 U EcoRV in a totalvolume of 200 μL for 2 hr at 37° C. and electrophoresed as describedabove. The region from 4000-5000 base pairs was cut from the gel and theDNA purified. The isolated DNA was able to support amplification of a300-base pair fragment by PCR using oligonucleotides 424+426. A sampleof the isolated chromosomal DNA was ligated to pZerO2 vector DNAdigested with SmaI, which is compatible with the blunt ends left byEcoRV at a 5:1 (insert:vector) molar ratio in a total volume of 10 μl at22° C. for 2 hr. DNA was precipitated by addition of 15 μl dH₂O and 250μL 1-butanol, and pelleted at 12,000×g in a microcentrifuge for 5 min.Liquid was removed by aspiration, and the DNA was dried in a SpeedVacfor 5 min under low heat. The pellet was resuspended in 5 μl dH₂O. Theresuspended DNA was transformed by electroporation into 0.04 ml E. coliDH10B competent cells (Invitrogen) at 2.5 kV, 25 μF, and 200 □. SOCmedium was immediately added (0.96 ml; SOC=0.5% yeast extract, 2%tryptone, 10 mM NaCl, 2.5 mM KCl, 10 mM MgCl₂, 10 mM MgSO₄, and 20 mMglucose per liter), and the cells incubated in a shaker for 1 hr at 37°C. and 225 rpm. Colonies containing recombinant plasmids were selectedon LB agar plates containing 50 μg/ml kanamycin sulfate. Sufficientcells to give ca. 5,000 colonies were spread onto a 132 mm Hybond N+membrane placed on top of LB agar medium containing 50 μg/ml kanamycinand incubated at 37° C. for 20 hr. Colonies were replicated onto twofresh filters that were placed on top of LB kanamycin agar medium. Thefilters were incubated at 37° C. for 4 hr. Colonies were lysed in situby placing the filters on a piece of Whatman 3MM paper saturated with0.5 M NaOH for 5 min. The filters were dried for 5 min on Whatman paper,then neutralized on 3MM paper soaked in 1.0 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.5 for 2min, and dried for 2 min. Membranes were placed on top of 3MM papersaturated with 1.0 M Tris-HCl, pH7.0/1.5 M NaCl for 10 min. DNA wascrosslinked to the filters by exposure to ultraviolet light in aStratagene UV Stratalinker 2400 set to “auto crosslink” mode. Celldebris was removed from the membranes by immersing in 3×SSC/0.1% SDS andwiping the surface with a wetted Kimwipe®, then incubating in the samesolution heated to 65° C. for 3 hr with agitation. Filters were rinsedwith dH₂O and used immediately or wrapped in SaranWrap® and stored at 4°C. Hybridization, washing, and detection of the colony blots wereperformed as described above using the labeled PCR probe. Positivelyhybridizing colonies were inoculated into LB-kanamycin liquid medium andgrown at 37° C. for 24 hr, 250 rpm. Plasmid DNA was isolated using theMini-Plasmid DNA kit from Qiagen and found to all possess an insert ofca. 4200 bp. To verify the SHBR gene was present in these isolates, PCRwas performed as described in section 3.A using the plasmid DNA astemplate and the SHBR-specific primers 435(5′-GCGGGCTTGGCCTGGGCTTGGTA-3′, sense) and 436(5′-CCCTTGCGACGGCGTTGGTCATGA-3′, anti-sense). The primers were derivedfrom the sequence of the PCR fragment obtained using mixedoligonucleotides 424+426. One plasmid verified to contain the desiredinsert was chosen for further study and named “pSHBR_(4.2.”)

E. Determination and Analysis of the Nucleotide Sequence of pSHBR_(4.2)

For rapid DNA sequencing of the insert in pSHBR_(4.2,) primer sites wereintroduced at random using the New England Biolabs Genome Priming Systemkit. Colonies containing transposons in the plasmid were identified byselection on LB agar medium with kanamycin and chloramphenicol at 20 and15 μg/mL, respectively. Colonies were grown, plasmid DNA extracted, andsequencing performed using the BigDye terminator kit and a model 377 DNAsequencing unit.

Nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for the gene are provided below asSEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6, respectively. The ketoreductase gene wasidentified as an open reading frame within the 4200-base pair insert onthe basis of homology to previously identified amino acid sequences(underlined in the sequence given below): Sequence of Ketoreductase genecloned from Pseudomonas Putida M A N S R T A L I I G A S R G 1ATGGCTAATTCAAGAACTGCCCTCATCATCGGCGCCTCGCGCGGGL G L G L V Q R L H E D G W H 46CTTGGCCTGGGCTTGGTACAACGCCTGCACGAAGACGGCTGGCACI T A T V R N P Q Q P G D L A 91ATCACTGCCACCGTCCGTAACCCGCAGCAGCCCGGCGACCTGGCGN V P G V R I E Q L E M N D T 136AACGTGCCCGGCGTGCGCATCGAGCAGTTGGAAATGAACGACACCV Q L D D L K Q R L Q G Q V F 181GTCCAGCTCGATGACCTGAAGCAACGCCTGCAAGGCCAGGTGTTCD L I F V N A G V M G P L P Q 226GACCTGATATTCGTCAACGCCGGGGTTATGGGCCCCCTGCCGCAAD L E A V R N N D I G D L F M 271GACCTGGAGGCGGTACGCAACAACGACATTGGCGATCTGTTCATGT N A V A P I R V A R R L V G 316ACTAACGCCGTGGCGCCGATACGCGTGGCTCGCCGCCTGGTGGGTQ I R E G S G V L A F M S S I 361CAAATACGCGAAGGCAGCGGTGTGCTGGCCTTCATGAGCTCGATCL G S V T I P D G G E I C L Y 406CTGGGAAGCGTCACCATACCCGACGGGGGCGAGATCTGCCTGTACK A S K A A L N S M I N S F F 451AAGGCCAGCAAGGCGGCACTGAACTCGATGATCAACAGCTTCTTCV E Q Q R P D L C V L A M H P 496GTTGAGCAGCAGCGCCCGGACCTGTGCGTGCTGGCCATGCACCCG G L G E N * 541GGGCTGGGTGAAAACTGA

This sequence encodes a protein of 186 amino acids with a molecularweight of 20.1 kD, in agreement with the size of the purified proteinunder denaturing conditions. Gel filtration chromatography indicatedthat the ketoreductase is a monomeric protein. A BLAST2 homology searchrevealed the most significant homology to short-chain dehydrogenases ofYersinia pestis (48% amino acid homology and 58% similarity as the aminoacid level) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (39% homology and 57%similarity).

A. Subcloning of the Ketoreductase Gene into E. coli Expression VectorpBMS2000

High-fidelity PCR amplification of the P. putida SHBR gene was carriedout in two 100 μl aliquots, each containing Z-Taq reaction buffer, 0.2mM each deoxynucleotide triphosphate (DATP, dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP), 0.4nM each oligonucleotide, 2.5 U Z-Taq DNA polymerase (PanVera), and 10 pgplasmid DNA which contained the cloned P. putida SHBR gene. Theamplification conditions included incubation at 94° C. for 4 min,followed by 25 cycles of incubation at 94° C. for 1 min; 50° C. for 1min; and 72° C. for 1.5 min, using a Perkin-Elmer Model 480 thermocyclerwith autoextension. The PCR reaction mixture was extracted with an equalvolume of 1:1 phenol:chloroform (GibcoBRL, Gaithersburg, Md.), andcentrifuged at 12,000×g for 5 min. The upper aqueous phase was removedand placed in a new microcentrifuge tube. DNA was precipitated byaddition of 0.1 vol 3 M sodium acetate and 2 vol ice-cold ethanol. Aftercentrifugation at 12,000×g for 5 min, liquid was aspirated from thetube, and the pellet washed with 0.5 ml ice-cold 70% ethanol. Liquid wasaspirated again, and the pellet was allowed to air dry for 30 min atroom temperature.

Amplified DNA was digested with 20 units each of NdeI and BamHI for 3 hrat 37° C. in a total volume of 50 μl. In parallel, the pBMS2000 vector(2 μg) was digested with NdeI and BamHI. The digested samples wereelectrophoresed on a 1.0% TAE agarose gel for 2 hr at 100 v. The bandscorresponding to the SHBR gene (570-base pair fragment) and vector(4700-base pair fragment) were separately excised from the gel andpurified using the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit. The concentrations ofthe isolated fragments were estimated by electrophoresis against the lowmolecular weight mass ladder and ligated at a 5:1 (insert:vector) molarratio in a total volume of 10 μl at 22° C. for 2 hr. DNA wasprecipitated by addition of 15 μL dH₂O and 250 μL 1-butanol, andpelleted at 12,000×g in a microcentrifuge for 5 min. Liquid was removedby aspiration, and the DNA was dried in a SpeedVac for 5 min under lowheat. The pellet was resuspended in 5 μl dH₂O and transformed byelectroporation into DH10B competent cells (Invitrogen) as previouslydescribed. Plasmids with the desired insert were identified by colonyPCR. The reaction mixture (described above) was divided into 10-μlaliquots, and pipetted into the wells of a round-bottom microtiterplate. A kanamycin-resistant colony was picked using a disposableplastic inoculation needle, swirled into the reaction mixture, andtransferred to LB-kanamycin agar. Thermocycling conditions using oligos435 and 436 were as described in Section 3.A. Fifteen out of 29 coloniestested gave the expected PCR fragment. Restriction analysis of plasmidDNA from four of these colonies indicated they contained the cloned SHBRgene at the correct site of pBMS2000, and was named pBMS2000-SHBR.

B. Subcloning of the Ketoreductase Gene into E. coli PlasmidpBMS2000-PPFDH

The formate dehydrogenase gene from Pichia pastoris (PPFDH) waspreviously cloned and the corresponding protein overexpressed in E. colias described in patent WO2003054155: The enzyme transfers reducing power(H⁺) from formate to NAD⁺ to provide co-factor recycling, thuseliminating the need for an exogenous enzyme such as glucosedehydrogenase. Formate can be added to reaction mixtures containing thePPFDH protein, or, preferably, formate is added to suspensions ofrecombinant E. coli cells expressing the protein.

pBMS2000-PPFDH (2 μg) was linearized with 10 U SmaI at 30° C. for 2 hrin a 50 μL reaction mix using buffer recommended by the manufacturer.Shrimp Alkaline Phosphatase (0.2 U) was then added and the sampleincubated at 37° C. for 1 hr. The sample was brought to 0.1 mL with TEbuffer and extracted with and equal volume of phenol:chloroform (1:1).The sample was centrifuged for 2 min and the upper phase retained. DNAwas precipitated by addition of 0.1 vol 3 M sodium acetate (pH 7.5) and2 vol 100% ethanol and pelleted by centrifugation for 12,000×g for 10min. Liquid was removed by aspiration and the pellet washed once with250 μL 70% ethanol. Ethanol was removed and the DNA dried in a SpeedVacfor 5 min.

A PCR fragment containing the tac promoter and groES genes of pBMS2000along with the ketoreductase gene was amplified from pBMS2000-RHBR usingoligonucleotides 451 (5′-AGCTGTTTAAACTGCAACGTTACTCCCC ATCCCCCTGTTGAC-3′;sense) and 452 (5′-AGTCGTTTAAACGGATCCTCAG TTTTCACCCAGCCCCGGGTG-3′;anti-sense) using previously described amplification conditions. Theexpected 1000-bp fragment (2.5 pg) was digested with 10 U PmeI in atotal volume of 40 μL at 37° C. for 2 hr. The entire reaction mix waselectrophoresed on a 1.0% TAE agarose gel for 1 hr at 100 v and thefragment purified using the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit.

The tac-groES-SHBR fragment was ligated to SmaI-cut pBMS2000-PPFDH DNAin a 5:1 insert:vector molar ratio in a 10 μL volume with 1 U T4 DNAligase (Invitrogen) at 16° C. for 4 hr. DNA was precipitated with1-butanol and centrifuged at 12,000×g for 5 min. Supernatant was removedand the pellet dried in a SpeedVac for 5 min. DNA was resuspended in 5μL dH₂O and 4 μL used to transform electrocompetent DH10B cells aspreviously described. Transformants were selected by plating ontoLB-kanamycin agar and incubated in a 37° C. oven for 18 hr. Severalcolonies were tested for the presence of the SHBR gene using PCR aspreviously described. Analytical restriction endonuclease digestsidentified colonies containing plasmids with the PPFDH and SHBR genesand their associated promoter regions in parallel orientation. One suchplasmid was retained for further work and named pBMS2000-PPFDH-SHBR.

C. Co-expression of the PPFDH and Ketoreductase Proteins in E. coli

pBMS2000-PPFDH-ketoreductase was transformed into E. coli expressionstrains BL21, BL21(DE3)(CodonPlus RP), and JM110. For shake flaskexpression work, cells were initially grown in MT5 or MT5-M1+kanamycinmedium for 20-24 hr, 30° C., 250 rpm. The composition of MT5 was givenin Section 2.C. MT5-M1 is Hy-Pea, 2.0%; Tastone 154, 1.85%; Na₂HPO₄,0.6%; (NH₄)₂SO₄ 0.125%; and glycerol, 4.0%. The medium is adjusted to pHto 7.2 with NaOH before autoclaving. After cooling, MgSO₄ is added to0.0254% using a sterile 1 M solution.

The optical density at 600 nm (OD₆₀₀) of the cultures was recorded andfresh medium inoculated with the culture to a starting OD₆₀₀ of 0.30.The flask was incubated as described above until the OD₆₀₀ reached˜0.8-1.0. Isopropyl-thio-β-D-galactoside (IPTG) was added from a 1 Mfilter-sterilized stock in dH₂O to a final concentration of 35 μM or 1mM and the culture allowed to grow for an additional 22 hr. Cells wereharvested by centrifugation at 5,000×g at 4° C. in a Beckman JA 5.3rotor. Medium was discarded and the pellet washed resuspended in anequal volume of 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.3. Cells wererecentrifuged under identical conditions and the buffer removed. The wetcell weight was recorded and samples were stored frozen at −20° C. orused immediately for assays.

Relative expression levels of the recombinant enzyme were visualized byelectrophoresis of samples of sonicated cell extracts on a sodiumdodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel (SDS-PAGE). To prepare extracts, thewashed cell pellet was resuspended in 10 mM KPO₄ buffer, pH 7.3+1 mMdithiothreitol (DTT) at 10 mL/g wet cell weight. An 0.8 mL sample wasdispensed into a chilled 1.5 mL microfuge tube and sonicated for 3×15sec at power setting “15” with a Fisher Sonic Dismembrator). Debris wasremoved by centrifugation at 12,000×g for 5 min. The supernatant, whichcontained soluble protein, was retained. One μL of the extract was mixedwith 5 μL 4×NuPAGE loading buffer (Invitrogen) and 13 μL dH₂O and heatedat 70° C. for 10 min. One μL of 1 M DTT was then added and 5 μL of thesample applied to a 12% NuPAGE Bis-Tris polyacrylamide mini-gel(Invitrogen). Samples were electrophoresed for 1 hr at 200 v with NuPAGEMOPS-SDS buffer (Invitrogen). Proteins were stained using a 0.1%Coomassie Blue solution in a 50:40:10 dH₂O:methanol:acetic acid anddestained in the same solution without dye. Two proteins of ˜20 kDaketoreductase and 40 kDa (PPFDH) were present in all recombinantstrains.

EXAMPLE 9 Purification of Ketoreductase from Hansenula Polymorph Cloningof Ketoreductase in Escherichia coli to Produce Escherichia coliJM110(pBMS2000-SCGD-RHBR)

Hansenula polymorha cells were suspended at 10% (w/v, wet cells) in 500mL of buffer A (10 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.1 containing 10% glycerol,1 mM DTT, 1 mM EDTA). The cell suspension was passed twice through amicrofluidzer at 12,000 psi. The disintegrated cells were centrifuged at25,000×for 15 min at 4° C. to obtain cell extracts. The cell extract wasloaded on to a 10-mL column (two Pharmacia 5-mL bluegel affinity columnsconnected in a row) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The column was washedwith 40 mL of buffer A. The column was eluted with buffer A containing agradient of NADP increasing from 0 mM to 10 mM. The reductase activitywas eluted in fractions containing 0.25-0.5 mM NADP. Fractionscontaining activity were pooled and concentrated with an Amicon 10KCentriprep to 1 mL. The concentrated enzyme fraction was loaded onto a84×2.5 cm Sephacryl S-200 column. Fractions of 8 mL were collected.Fractions containing enzyme activity (fractions 33-35) were pooled andconcentrated by an Amicon 10K Centricon to 600 □L. The concentratedfraction was loaded onto a S75 Sephadex (FPLC) column and 1-mL fractionswere collected. The enzyme activity was present in fractions 13 and 14.Both fractions were analyzed by 12.5% SDS-PAGE demonstrated a singleprotein band.

The NADP-dependent dehydrogenase was purified to homogeneity from cellextracts of Hansenula polymorpha. The sub-unit molecular weight of theenzyme is 35,000 daltons based on SDS/PAGE. The purified protein wasblotted on to a PVDF-membrane according to the manufactures instructions(Bio-Rad). The purified protein was stained with coomassie blue and theprotein band was excised from the membrane. The excised protein was thensent out for sequencing to Argo Bioanalytica. The peptide sequencesobtained from Argo Bioanalytica are as follows: Peptide 1:LNTGASIPSVALGCWQSSPEDTYTSVLAALK Peptide 2: GIVVEAYSPLGSAGS Peptide 3:HIDTAHVYR Peptide 4: ILNPDWGVPVYNDEEDNF

A strong homology was found to glycerol dehydrogenase, aldehydereductase and various other NADP-dependent dehydrogenases with the abovepeptide sequences. These peptide sequences were used to prepare probesfor cloning and expression of the enzyme.

A. Preparation of RHBR Ketoreductase-specific Probe

Hansenula polymorpha ATCC 66057 (recently reclassified as Pichiaangusta) was grown in YPD medium (1.0% Bacto yeast extract, 2.0% Bactopeptone, 2.0% dextrose) at 30° C. with vigorous shaking. After 24 hr,cells were harvested by centrifugation and immediately used or stored asa pellet at −20° C. until needed. The cells were harvested bycentrifugation and chromosomal DNA was prepared using the proceduredescribed in Ausubel et al. (eds.) Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, vol. 2, section 13.11.2 (1991), John Wiley and Sons, New York.

A sample of the purified ketoreductase protein was submitted for partialamino acid sequencing following tryptic digestion. Four sequences wereobtained: LNTGASIPSVALGCWQSSPEDTYTSVLAALK (N-terminus), GIVVEAYSPLGSAGS,HIDTAHVYR, and ILNPDWGVPVYNDEEDNF (putative COOH-terminus). A BLAST2homology search using the above sequences showed significant regions ofhomology to other reductases and dehydrogenases such as those reactingwith aldose, aldehyde, uronate, and glycerol. For use in polymerasechain reaction (PCR), degenerate oligonucleotide primers were preparedbased on the corresponding codons of the amino acids according to Table6. The direction of the primers (i.e., sense and/or anti-sense) weredetermined using the likely location of the amino acid sequence withinthe protein by comparison to homologous dehydrogenases/reductases. TABLE6 Primer Corresponds to name Nucleotide sequence (direction) Oligo 353GTIGCIYTIGGITGYTGGCAR VALGCWQ (sense) Oligo 354 CCIGARGAYACITAYCAIWSPEDTYTS (sense) Oligo 355 RTAIGCYTCIACIACIATICC GIVVEAY (anti-sense)Oligo 361 CAYATIGAYACIGCICAYGTITA HIDTAHVY (sense) Oligo 362AARTTRTCYTCYTCRTCRTTRTA YNDEEDNF (anti-sense) Oligo 363GGIATIGTIGTIGARGCITA GIVVEAY (sense)

Standard nucleoside bases (adenosine, thymine, cytosine, and guanosine)are indicated by “A”, “T”, “C”, or “G”. “I”=inosine (replaces all fourbases). Mixed bases are: “R” (A+G); “S” (C+G); “W” (A+T); “Y” (C+T).Amino acid abbreviations correspond to those designated by theInternational Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Combinationsof sense and anti-sense primers were tried with the FailSafe series ofPCR buffer and H. polymorpha chromosomal DNA as template in 10 μLreactions. Amplification was carried out in a Hybaid PCR Expressthermocycler using a five-stage “touchdown” PCR strategy: Stage 1 Stage2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 94° 1 min 94° 30 sec 94° 30 sec 94° 30 sec 72°5 min 55° 30 sec 55°-->40° 30 sec 40° 30 sec 72° 30 sec 72° 30 sec 72°30 sec 1 cycle 4 cycles 20 cycles 5 cycles

Strong amplification of a single fragment of the expected molecularweight (based on homology to other reductases) were obtained usingoligonucleotide combinations 361+362 (ca. 750 base pairs) and 362+363(ca. 300 base pairs). The former reaction was scaled up 20-fold andincluded: 2×FailSafe buffer “B”, 100 μL; 10×Cresol Red-sucrose loadingdye, 20 μL; oligonucleotide (100 pmol/μL), 0.8 μL each; Z-Taq DNApolymerase, 1.0 μL; H. polymorpha DNA (1 mg/mL), 1.0 μL; dH₂O, 73.4 μL.The entire reaction mix was electrophoresed on a 1.0% agarose gel for 2hr at 100 v in TAE buffer (0.04 M Trizma base, 0.02 M acetic acid, and0.001 M EDTA, pH 8.3) containing 0.5 μg/ml ethidium bromide. Thefragment was excised from the gel and purified using the Qiagen GelPurification Kit (Qiagen) before ligation to vector pTOPO-TA(Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer's recommendations. CompetentEscherichia coli DH10B cells (40 μL; Invitrogen) were transformed byelectroporation using a BioRad GenePulser unit at 2.5 kV, 25 μF, and 200

SOC medium (960 μL; per liter, 5 g yeast extract, 20 g Bacto-tryptone,580 mg NaCl, 186 mg KCl, 940 mg MgCl2, 1.2 g MgSO4, and 3.6 g glucose)was added to the transformed cells and transferred to a 1.5 mL microfugetube. The cells were shaken at 37° C. for 1 hr at 225 rpm and spreadonto an LB agar plate containing 50 μg/mL kanamycin sulfate. The platewas incubated for 20 hr at 37° C. Plasmid DNA was extracted fromcultures of kanamycin-resistant colonies using the Qiagen Mini-PlasmidPurification Kit (Qiagen) and submitted for sequencing of the PCRfragment. For further analytical work, two primers (oligos 368 and 369;5′-CAGATGCCGAGGAACAGTGGTTCC-3′ and 5′-CGAGAGCAATGATGTCCTCGTCCT-3′,respectively) were prepared based on the DNA sequence obtained. Theseprimer permit amplification of a 348-base pair region in the putativecenter of the RHBR gene. They were used to prepare a digoxygenin-labeledfragment using the PCR DIG Probe Synthesis Kit.

B. Southern Blot Hybridization

For Southern hybridization, H. polymorpha genomic DNA was cleaved with aseries of restriction endonucleases (BglII, ClaI, EcoRV, and HindIII).Reactions contained 5 μg DNA, appropriate buffer, and 20 units enzyme in30 μL final volume. Digests were carried out for 3 hr at 37° C., thenelectrophoresed in a 0.8% TAE-agarose gel at 16 v for 18 hr. The DNA wastransferred to Hybond N+ nylon filters under alkaline conditions usingthe VacuGene vacuum blotting unit. Hybridization of the labeledRHBR-specific PCR fragment to the blotted DNA digests was performed inEasyHyb solution (Roche) for 18 hr at 42° C. Stringency washes werecarried out in 0.5×SSC (20×SSC=173.5 g NaCl and 88.2 g NaCl, pH 7.0),0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate at 68° C. for 2×15 minutes. Detection usinga fluorescein-labeled, anti-digoxygenin antibody was performed asrecommended by the manufacturer (Roche).

C. Cloning and Colony Hybridization

Ten μg of chromosomal DNA was cleaved with 25 U BglII in a total volumeof 50 μL for 3 hr at 37° C. and electrophoresed as described above. Theregion from 6500-7500 base pairs was cut from the gel and the DNApurified. The isolated DNA was able to support amplification of a750-base pair fragment by PCR using oligonucleotides 361+362. A sampleof the isolated chromosomal DNA was ligated to pZerO2 vector DNAdigested with BamHI (the overhanging 5′ nucleotides are compatible withthose of BglII) at a 5:1 (insert:vector) molar ratio in a total volumeof 10 μl at 22° C. for 2 hr. DNA was precipitated by addition of 15 μldH₂O and 250 μL 1-butanol, and pelleted at 12,000×g in a microcentrifugefor 5 min. Liquid was removed by aspiration, and the DNA was dried in aSpeedVac for 5 min under low heat. The pellet was resuspended in 5 μldH₂O. The resuspended DNA was transformed by electroporation into 0.04ml E. coli DH10B competent cells (Invitrogen) at 25 μF and 250 □. SOCmedium was immediately added (0.96 ml; SOC=0.5% yeast extract, 2%tryptone, 10 mM NaCl, 2.5 mM KCl, 10 mM MgCl₂, 10 mM MgSO₄, and 20 mMglucose per liter), and the cells incubated in a shaker for 1 hr at 37°C. and 225 rpm. Colonies containing recombinant plasmids were selectedon LB agar plates containing 50 μg/ml kanamycin sulfate Sufficient cellsto give ca. 15,000 colonies were spread onto a 132 mm Hybond N+ membrane(Amersham Pharmacia) placed on top of LB agar medium containing 50 μg/mlkanamycin and incubated at 37° C. for 20 hr. Colonies were replicatedonto two fresh filters that were placed on top of LB kanamycin agarmedium. The filters were incubated at 37° C. for 4 hr. Colonies werelysed in situ by placing the filters on a piece of Whatman 3MM papersaturated with 0.5 M NaOH for 5 min. The filters were dried for 5 min onWhatman paper, then neutralized on 3MM paper soaked in 1.0 M Tris-HCl,pH 7.5 for 2 min, and dried for 2 min. Membranes were placed on top of3MM paper saturated with 1.0 M Tris-HCl, pH7.0/1.5 M NaCl for 10 min.DNA was crosslinked to the filters by exposure to ultraviolet light in aStratagene UV Stratalinker 2400 set to “auto crosslink” mode. Celldebris was removed from the membranes by immersing in 3×SSC/0.1% SDS andwiping the surface with a wetted Kimwipe®, then incubating in the samesolution heated to 65° C. for 3 hr with agitation. Filters were rinsedwith dH₂O and used immediately or wrapped in SaranWrap® and stored at 4°C. Hybridization, washing, and detection of the colony blots wereperformed as described above using the labeled PCR probe. Positivelyhybridizing colonies were inoculated into LB-kanamycin liquid medium andgrown at 37° C. for 24 hr, 250 rpm. Plasmid DNA was isolated using theMini-Plasmid DNA kit from Qiagen. To verify the RHBR gene was present inthese isolates, PCR was performed using the plasmid DNA as template andthe RHBR-specific primers 368+369. One plasmid verified to contain thedesired insert was chosen for further study and named “pRHBR_(7.0.”)

D. Determination and Analysis of the Nucleotide Sequence ofKetoreductase pRHBR7.0

For rapid DNA sequencing of the insert in pRHBR7.0, primer sites wereintroduced at random using the New England Biolabs Genome Priming Systemkit. Colonies containing transposons in the plasmid were identified byselection on LB agar medium with kanamycin and chloramphenicol at 20 and15 μg/mL, respectively. The plate was sent to the Bristol-Myers SquibbCore Sequencing Facility, where the colonies were grown, plasmid DNAextracted, and sequencing performed using the BigDye terminator kit anda model 377 DNA sequencing unit.

The nucleic acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:7) and the amino acid sequence (SEQID NO: 8) of the RHBR ketoreductase gene is shown below. The gene wasidentified as an open reading frame within the 7000-base pair insert onthe basis of homology to previously identified amino acid sequences(underlined in the sequence given below): Nucleotide Sequence ofketoreductase pRHBR7.0 M A S I C T K T Q K L N T G A 1ATGGCTTCTATTTGCACAAAGACTCAAAAGCTCAACACTGGCGCCS I P S V A L G C W Q S S P E 46TCAATCCCTTCAGTTGCCCTGGGATGCTGGCAATCGTCCCCCGAGD T Y T S V L A A L K A G Y R 91GACACCTACACTTCTGTTTTGGCCGCATTGAAGGCAGGCTACAGAH I D T A H V Y R N E A D V G 136CATATCGACACCGCGCACGTGTACCGGAACGAGGCGGATGTTGGTR A I K D S G V P R E S L F I 181AGAGCCATCAAAGACTCGGGGGTTCCTAGAGAGTCGCTCTTCATCT T K L W N T N H R D P L A A 226ACTACGAAGCTCTGGAACACCAACCACAGAGACCCATTGGCTGCTL N G S L E R L G M D Y V D L 271CTGAATGGCTCGTTGGAGAGACTCGGCATGGATTACGTCGATCTGY L V H W P V P F V K P S P D 316TATCTGGTGCACTGGCCTGTTCCTTTTGTTAAGCCTTCGCCAGATA E E Q W F P K D P N N P E K 361GCCGAGGAACAGTGGTTCCCAAAGGATCCTAACAATCCGGAAAAGF H N D K D W D F I K T W E L 406TTCCACAATGACAAAGATTGGGACTTCATCAAGACGTGGGAACTGV Q Q L P K D K A R A V G V S 451GTCCAACAGCTGCCTAAGGACAAGGCCCGGGCCGTGGGCGTGTCTN M S K T N L E K L L A A P T 496AACATGTCCAAGACAAACTTGGAGAAGCTGCTAGCTGCGCCAACGT K V V P A A N Q V E M H P F 541ACCAAGGTCGTTCCTGCAGCCAACCAGGTCGAAATGCACCCATTCY P R H Q L L E Y C K E K G I 586TACCCGCGCCACCAGCTGCTCGAGTACTGCAAGGAGAAAGGCATTV V E A Y S P L G S A G S P L 631GTTGTGGAGGCGTACTCGCCACTGGGCAGTGCTGGGTCGCCACTAL K D E D I I A L A D K K G I 676CTTAAGGACGAGGACATCATTGCTCTCGCCGACAAGAAGGGCATTS P A C L L I S W A L H R D T 721TCTCCAGCCTGTCTGCTGATTTCGTGGGCTCTTCACAGAGACACTV V L P K S V T P S R I E A N 766GTCGTGCTGCCAAAGAGCGTGACTCCGTCGCGGATCGAGGCCAACI K V V D L D D E T A D A L S 811ATCAAGGTCGTCGACCTCGACGACGAGACCGCTGACGCCCTGTCGA L Y K T K G R R I L N P D W 856GCGCTCTACAAGACCAAGGGTAGAAGAATTCTGAACCCTGACTGG G V P V Y N D E E D N F *901 GGTGTTCCAGTCTACAACGACGAAGAAGACAACTTTTAGE. Analysis of the RHBR Gene

No introns were present in this gene. This sequence encodes a protein of312 amino acids with a molecular weight of 34.8 kD, in agreement withthe size of the purified protein under denaturing conditions. Gelfiltration chromatography indicated that the RHBR ketoreductase is amonomeric protein. A BLAST2 homology search revealed significanthomology to β-keto ester reductases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae involvedin arabanose and uronate biosynthesis (55% amino acid homology and 69%similarity as the amino acid level). These enzymes are members of theshort-chain reductases/dehydrogenasaes

F. Subcloning of the RHBR Gene into E. coli Expression Vector pBMS2000

Oligonucleotide primers were prepared containing 1) an NdeI sitefollowed by the first 24 nucleotides of the RHBR gene(5′-GATCCATATGGCTTCTA TTTGCACAAAGACT-3′) and 2) the last 24 nucleotidesof the RHB gene (including stop codon) followed by a SmaI restrictionsite (anti-sense of the complementary strand;5′-GATCCCCGGGCTAAAAGTTGTCTTCCTCGTC-3′). High-fidelity PCR amplificationof the H. polymorpha RHBR ketoreductase gene was carried out in two 100μl aliquots, each containing Z-Taq reaction buffer, 0.2 mM eachdeoxynucleotide triphosphate (dATP, dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP), 0.4 nM eacholigonucleotide, 2.5 U Z-Taq DNA polymerase (PanVera), and 10 pg plasmidDNA which contained the cloned H. polymorpha RHBR ketoreductase gene.The amplification conditions included incubation at 94° C. for 4 min,followed by 25 cycles of incubation at 94° C. for 1 min; 50° C. for 1min; and 72° C. for 1.5 min, using a Perkin-Elmer Model 480 thermocyclerwith autoextension. The PCR reaction mixture was extracted with an equalvolume of 1:1 phenol:chloroform, and centrifuged at 12,000×g for 5 min.The upper aqueous phase was removed and placed in a new microcentrifugetube. DNA was precipitated by addition of 0.1 vol 3 M sodium acetate and2 vol ice-cold ethanol. After centrifugation at 12,000×g for 5 min,liquid was aspirated from the tube, and the pellet washed with 0.5 mlice-cold 70% ethanol. Liquid was aspirated again, and the pellet wasallowed to air dry for 30 min at room temperature.

At this time DNA sequence analysis revealed that the RHBR ketoreductasegene contained an internal SmaI restriction site, so this enzyme couldnot be used for digestion of the PCR product. As an alternative, the 3′end of the PCR product was used without treatment with SmaI. Due to thenature of the DNA polymerase used, it should contain a mixture of “A”overhangs and blunt-ended fragments; the latter type of fragment shouldligate to the blunt end left by SmaI upon cleavage of pBMS2000.Amplified DNA was digested with 20 units of NdeI for 3 hr at 37° C. in atotal volume of 50 μl. In parallel, the pBMS2000 vector (2 pg) wasdigested with NdeI and SmaI. The digested samples were electrophoresedon a 1.0% TAE agarose gel for 2 hr at 100 v. The bands corresponding tothe RHBR ketoreductase gene (950-base pair fragment) and vector(4700-base pair fragment) were separately excised from the gel andpurified using the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit. The concentrations ofthe isolated fragments were estimated by electrophoresis against the lowmolecular weight mass ladder and ligated at a 5:1 (insert:vector) molarratio in a total volume of 10 μl at 22° C. for 2 hr. DNA wasprecipitated by addition of 15 μL dH₂O and 250 μL 1-butanol, andpelleted at 12,000×g in a microcentrifuge for 5 min. Liquid was removedby aspiration, and the DNA was dried in a SpeedVac for 5 min under lowheat. The pellet was resuspended in 5 μl dH₂O and transformed byelectroporation into DH10B competent cells (Invitrogen) as previouslydescribed. Plasmids with the desired insert were identified by colonyPCR. The reaction mixture (described above) was divided into 10-μlaliquots, and pipetted into the wells of a round-bottom microtiterplate. A kanamycin-resistant colony was picked using a disposableplastic inoculation needle, swirled into the reaction mixture, andtransferred to LB-kanamycin agar. Thermocycling conditions were asdescribed in Section 1A. Nine out of 18 colonies tested gave theexpected PCR fragment of 950 bp. Restriction analysis of plasmid DNAfrom four of these colonies indicated they contained the cloned RHBRgene at the correct site of pBMS2000, and was named pBMS2000-RHBR.

G. Subcloning of the RHBR Gene into E. coli Plasmid pBMS2000-SCGD

The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae(SCGD) was previously cloned and the corresponding protein overexpressedin E. coli. The enzyme transfers reducing power (H⁺) fromglucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) to NADP⁺ to provide co-factor recycling,thus eliminating the need for an exogenous enzyme such as glucosedehydrogenase. G-6-P can be added to reaction mixtures containing theSCGD protein, or, preferably, glucose is added to suspensions ofrecombinant E. coli expressing the protein; as part of the activetransport mechanism, the glucose is phosphorylated to G-6-P by thebacterial cell.

pBMS2000-SCGD (2 μg) was linearized with 10 U SmaI at 30° C. for 2 hr ina 50 μL reaction mix using buffer recommended by the manufacturer(Invitrogen). Shrimp Alkaline Phosphatase (0.2 U) was then added and thesample incubated at 37° C. for 1 hr. The sample was brought to 0.1 mLwith TE buffer and extracted with and equal volume of phenol:chloroform(1:1;). The sample was centrifuged for 2 min and the upper phaseretained. DNA was precipitated by addition of 0.1 vol 3 M sodium acetate(pH 7.5) and 2 vol 100% ethanol and pelleted by centrifugation for12,000×g for 10 min. Liquid was removed by aspiration and the pelletwashed once with 250 μL 70% ethanol. Ethanol was removed and the DNAdried in a SpeedVac for 5 min.

A PCR fragment containing the tac promoter and groES genes of pBMS2000along with the RHBR gene was amplified from pBMS2000-RHBR usingoligonucleotides 299 (AGCTCCCGGGTGCAACGTTACTCCCCATCCCCCTGTTGAC) and 371(GATCCCCGGGCTAAAAGTTGTCTTCCTCGTC) using previously describedamplification conditions. The expected 1550-bp fragment was ligated topCR_(2.1) (Invitrogen). Transformants were screened for the presence ofan insert by colony PCR. Plasmid DNA from positive colonies (ca. 2 μg)was prepared and digested with restriction endonucleases KpnI+EcoRVusing 10 U of each enzyme in a 40 μL reaction volume with Invitrogenbuffer “3” for 2 hr at 37° C. Five units of T4 DNA polymerase(Invitrogen) was added to the reaction and the sample incubated at 11°C. for 20 min to remove single-stranded DNA overhangs. The entirereaction mix was electrophoresed on a 1.0% TAE agarose gel for 1 hr at100 v and the fragment purified using the QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit.

The tac-groES-RHBR fragment was ligated to SmaI-cut pBMS2000-SCGD DNA ina 5:1 insert:vector molar ratio in a 10 μL volume with 1 U T4 DNA ligase(Invitrogen) at 16° C. for 4 hr. DNA was precipitated with 1-butanol andcentrifuged at 12,000×g for 5 min. Supernatant was removed and thepellet dried in a SpeedVac for 5 min. DNA was resuspended in 5 μL dH₂Oand 4 μL used to transform electrocompetent DH10B cells as previouslydescribed. Transformants were selected by plating onto LB-kanamycin agarand incubated in a 37° C. oven for 18 hr. To determine the presence andorientation of the insert, two new primers (oligo 395;GTGACTAAGCCAGAAGATACGAAG and oligo 369; CGAGAGCAATGATGTCCTCGTCCT) thatwas homologous to the sense strand at the 3′ end of bp 1487-1511 of theSCGD gene and to the anti-sense strand of bp 673-649 of the RHBR gene,respectively, were prepared. A PCR reaction using these primers aspreviously described was performed. If the SCGD and RHBR genes arepresent in parallel orientation, a fragment of ca. 1300 bp should beamplified. Two out of 16 kanamycin-resistant colonies tested supportedthe expected amplification. Digestion with a series of diagnosticrestriction endonucleases confirmed the structure of the plasmid, namedpBMS2000-SCGD-RHBR.

H. Expression of the RHBR Ketoreductase Protein in E. coli

pBMS2000-RHBR was transformed into E. coli expression strains BL21,JM110, and W3110. For shake flask expression work, cells were initiallygrown in MT5+kanamycin for 20-24 hr, 30° C., 250 rpm. MT5 is 2.0%Yeastamin, 4.0% glycerol, 0.6% Na₂HPO₄, 0.3% KH₂PO₄, 0.125% (NH₄)₂SO₄,and 0.0256% MgSO₄.7H₂O. The optical density at 600 nm (OD₆₀₀) wasrecorded and fresh medium inoculated with the culture to a startingOD₆₀₀ of 0.30. The flask was incubated as described above until theOD₆₀₀ reached ˜0.8-1.0. Isopropyl-thio-β-D-galactoside (IPTG) was addedfrom a 1 M filter-sterilized stock in dH₂O to a final concentration of50 μM or 1 mM and the culture allowed to grow for an additional 24 or 48hr. Cells were harvested by centrifugation at 5,000×g at 4° C. in aBeckman JA 5.3 rotor. Medium was discarded and the pellet washedresuspended in an equal volume of 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer, pH7.3. Cells were recentrifuged under identical conditions and the bufferremoved. The wet cell weight was recorded and samples were stored frozenat −20° C. or used immediately for assays. Subsequently, experimentsusing MT5-Hy Rice and MT5-Hy Pea were conducted using the straindemonstrating the best enzyme activity. MT5-Hy Rice and MT5-Hy Peacontained 2.0% of the indicated medium supplement in place of yeastamin.

C. Co-expression of SCGD and RHBR Ketoreductase in E. coli

pBMS2000-SCGD-RHBR was transformed into E. coli strains BL21(DE3)Starand JM110 by electroporation. A single colony of each tranformant wasused to inoculate 20 mL MT5-Hy Pea medium+50 μg/mL kanamycin in a 50 mLflask. Growth, induction, and harvesting of cell cultures were performedas described in the previous section. Use of the recombinant RHBRketoreductase enzyme catalyzed the conversion of compound 2 to compound3 described herein.

The contents of all patents, patent applications, published articles,books, reference manuals, texts and abstracts cited herein are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety to more fully describe thestate of the art to which the invention pertains. The foregoingdescription and examples are not intended in any respect to limit thescope of the potential embodiments of the claimed invention.

1. A process for the preparation of a compound of Formula Ib

wherein Hal is a halogen, comprising reducing a ketone compound of Formula IIb

by reaction with an oxidoreductase enzyme produced by a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Rhodococcus, Flavobacterium, Saccharothrix, and Pichia.
 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the reaction with the oxidoreductase enzyme is carried out either by: (a) introducing a ketone compound of formula IIb into a medium in which the microorganism is being fermented to form a reaction mixture in which the oxidoreductase enzyme is concurrently being formed and reacted with the ketone compound; or (b) fermenting the microorganism until sufficient growth is realized, then introducing the ketone compound to form a reaction mixture in which the ketone compound of formula IIb is reacted with the oxidoreductase enzyme.
 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of the ketone compound of formula IIb added to the reaction mixture is up to about 100 g/L of the reaction mixture.
 4. The process of claim 1 further comprising isolating, and optionally purifying, the compound of formula Ib.
 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the reaction with the oxidoreductase enzyme is carried out by reacting the ketone compound of formula IIb with oxidoreductase enzyme that was previously isolated and optionally purified before contacting with the ketone compound.
 6. The process of claim 5 wherein the oxidoreductase enzyme is derived from cell extracts.
 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidoreductase enzyme is provided from a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Rhodococcus australis, Pichia Angusta, Pichia methanolica, Flavobacterium fuscum, Saccharothrix aerocolnigenes and Escherichia coli.
 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidoreductase enzyme is provided by introducing a plasmid controlling its expression into E. coli host cells.
 9. The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidoreductase enzyme is expressed by a gene having characteristics selected from (a) SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2; (b) SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4; (c) SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6; or (d) SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8.
 10. The process of claim 2, step (a), wherein the oxidoreductase enzyme provides a reaction yield of greater than 70% by weight of the compound of formula I, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture.
 11. The process of claim 10 wherein the oxidoreductase provides the compound of formula I in an enantiomeric purity greater than 93%.
 12. The process of claim 1 wherein the reaction with the oxidoreductase enzyme is carried out at a pH of between about 4.0 and about 9.0.
 13. The process of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula Ib is

and the compound of formula IIb is


14. A process for the preparation of an oxidoreductase enzyme for the conversion of a compound of formula Ib

from a compound of formula IIb

comprising (a) either (i) providing a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Rhodococcus, Flavobacterium, Saccharothrix, and Pichia in a growth medium under conditions which allow for expression of an oxidoreductase enzyme, or (ii) introducing a gene which encodes for the oxidoreductase enzyme into a host microorganism for recombinant expression, introducing the host microorganism in a growth medium under conditions which allow for expression of the oxidoreductase enzyme and allowing it to grow and express the oxidoreductase enzyme; (b) optionally, extracting the oxidoreductase enzyme from the growth medium; and (c) optionally, purifying the oxidoreductase enzyme.
 15. The process of claim 14 wherein the process of extracting the enzyme comprises lysing the cells of the microorganism and isolating the enzyme.
 16. The process of claim 14 wherein the process of purifying the enzyme comprises ion-exchange, hydrophobic, gel filtration, and affinity chromatography.
 17. The process of claim 14 wherein the compound of formula Ib is

and the compound of formula IIb is


18. A process for the preparation of a compound of formula Ic*, 1-[4-(4-Fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methyl-pyrrolo [2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-propan-2-ol, from a compound of formula IIb

comprising (a) either i. providing a microorganism selected from the group consisting of Pseudomonas, Hansenula and Candida, in a growth medium under conditions which allow for expression of an oxidoreductase enzyme, or ii. introducing a gene which encodes for the oxidoreductase enzyme into a host microorganism for recombinant expression, introducing the host microorganism in a growth medium under conditions which allow for expression of the oxidoreductase enzyme and allowing it to grow and express the oxidoreductase enzyme; (b) reacting the oxidoreductase enzyme with a compound of formula IIc

to produce the desired compound.
 19. A process for the preparation of a compound of the formula

which comprises reacting a compound of the formula

with potassium methoxide and potassium carbonate and an excess of chloroacetone to afford Compound IIc.
 20. A process for purifying Compound IIc by crystallization using a mixture of THF and water. 